Hands where I can see them. Michael Coppage.
For this week's post, we wanted to highlight a local Cincinnati talent who is featured in our current exhibition. The prolific artist, Michael Coppage, originally from Chicago, has lived and worked in Cincinnati since 2007. His art centers on the appropriation of African American culture, the demonization of black men, and what he refers to as “systematic” destabilization of black people in America.
Coppage’s work spans several mediums, from photography to sculpture to painting. Always understanding that he wanted to be an artist, his work has shifted to foster civil conversation among his audience. He gained local attention after debuting his American+ collection in 2017, a lens-based project that explored the negative archetypes and stark racial disparities that persist in the language and psychology of contemporary American culture. Coppage also participated in the Black Lives Matter street mural, which was placed in front of Cincinnati City Hall in 2020.
Coppage gained national attention for his art and voice with a TEDx talk titled “Everybody is Racist!... and it's okay!” He stated, “This is where you start: Small incremental changes around language leading to huge, transformative shifts...” Coppage points out that what we learn about color as children shapes our beliefs and views as adults.
One particular body of work that Coppage began in 2022, 12 Commandments, involves a series of bronze sculptures that embody the psychological and physical toll of police encounters, revealing the racial injustice and police violence that takes place through a practice of embodied resistance as increased racial violence and ICE raids are happening. As Coppage astutely notes, “There’s a culture of silence now. We’re legislating language out of our conversations. But if we lose the words, we lose the fight.”
You can find more of Michael Coppage’s work at: https://www.michaelcoppageart.com/ and IG: @michael_coppage