About Witness 2023: Exploring Indigenous, African American, Latino, and Asian Connections To Nature and Art
Houston is one of the nation’s most diverse cities. The 4-part Witness Series 2023 will explore the many profound experiences Communities of Color have to the Land and Waters of Southeast Texas and beyond. Co-curated in partnership with artists from the Indigenous, African American, Latino, East Asian and South Asian communities, each Witness experience will bring communities together through the power of nature and art. The series will provide historically under-served communities with greater access to nature-based opportunities. Attendees will become co-authors, editors and observers as they take part in these participatory public art experiences centered around green spaces and environmental equity.
February-May 2023
February 25, 2023, 9am to 11am - Two-Eyed Seeing @ Houston Botanic Garden
March 25, 2023, 10am to 4pm - Bear Witness @ Ann Taylor Park
April 29, 2023, 9am to 11am - “Gulfton Alive!/¡Celebración de la naturaleza de Gulfton!”@ Burnett Bayland Park
May 13, 2023 - Tree of Life @ Chinese Community Center
Witness Series 2023 experiences are made possible through the Community Artists’ Collective with generous funding from the Jacob & Terese Hershey Foundation. This year’s events are done in collaboration with American Indian Center of Houston Chinese Community Center, Houston Audubon, Houston Botanic Garden, Houston Coalition Against Hate, Houston Health Department, Houston Public Library, National Wildlife Refuge System, Nature Heritage Society and The Nature Conservancy Texas. For more information about the series visit - https://thecollective2022.squarespace.com/the-witness-series
The Witness Series was inspired by Kristi Rangel’s series “Seven” that was created after she was selected the 2021 Houston Coalition Against Hate (HCAH) Emerging Artist of the Year. “Seven” is a curated collection of seven paintings featuring portraits of Black women and Funtumfrafu-Denkyemfrafu, an Adinkra symbol of unity in diversity giving a common destiny. Kristi’s work centers around her belief that environmental equity is a basic human right. Witness was created by Jaime González, a Houston-based conservationist and storyteller, and Kristi Rangel, Houston-based multi-disciplinary artist and education advocate. It is their shared belief that environmental equity is a basic human right.