The MTSU Department of Art and Design will host “Unseen & Unheard: Art as Advocacy for the Overlooked” at Todd Art Gallery this summer. The exhibition is a collaborative juried event curated by Dr. Barbara and Leroy Hodges. An opening reception is scheduled for Saturday, August 9, 2025, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The artist panel discussion will be held on August 28, 2025 from 11:25 a.m. to 2:25 p.m.
This synergistic showcase features a diverse group of local, regional, and nationally recognized yet underrepresented artists, each with their unique stories and perspectives. The exhibit hopes to give a voice to the voiceless, unseen and unheard intending to inspire, engage, educate, and empower the viewer. It is the latest in a series of summer exhibitions at MTSU featuring multicultural artists, and will be on display from Saturday, August 9, to Saturday, August 30, 2025.
“Unseen and Unheard: Art as advocacy for the Overlooked” focuses on four specific categories of marginalized communities and underrepresented voices, those being Silent Struggles, Beyond the Frame, Displaced and Forgotten, and Labor and Legacy. The exhibition displays the powerful impact of addressing the unseen and unheard silent struggles of underrepresented individuals, groups, and communities and challenges societal traditions and advocates for justice.
“Silent Struggles” focuses on mental health, loss and resilience in underrepresented communities. This may include works on emotional labor, trauma, healing, cultural stigmas surrounding mental health.
“Displaced and Forgotten” artwork may include works descriptive of home, migration, and / or erasure. The artwork may have topics ranging from gentrification and displacement to cultural preservation.
Several artistic works examine “Labor and Legacy.” This artwork examines those who do the work and those who get to rest. The artwork includes perspectives on Black and immigrant labor, gender roles in work, and the struggle for recognition in creative industries, among other topics.
The “Beyond the Frame” artwork explores gender identity, LGBTQ+ experiences, and self-expression. These works also highlight stories of visibility, acceptance and personal freedom.
The various works in the exhibit cover a wide range, from a vibrancy of color, subtle abstraction, a gamut of textures, provocative images, mixed media, copper repousse, surrealism, figurative, sculptures, and layered landscapes.
Todd Art Gallery exhibits, receptions, and workshops are free and open to the public at the heart of the MTSU campus in Todd Hall, Room 224A, for an enriching and memorable experience. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and by special appointment. The Gallery is closed on Sundays, during exhibition installations, and for all state, federal, and university holidays. Free parking is available across the campus on Saturdays. For more information about MTSU Art and Design, Todd Art Gallery, please visit: https://w1.mtsu.edu/art/ or call 615-898-5532.
