Postcolonial Karma Exhibit Waves White Flag on Georgia’s Confederate Legacy

ATLANTA – Through the “Postcolonial Karma” exhibit, artist Lisa Tuttle speaks to today’s issues of gender, race and class while stirring conversation about the true meaning behind the idols and images that define the Confederacy.

“Those who celebrate the Confederacy falsely claim that their ancestors fought out of Southern pride, but history shows that the Civil War was actually fought to maintain the institution of slavery, with over 750,000 American lives lost in the wake of treasonous acts,” says Lecia Brooks, SPLC chief of staff. “Ms. Tuttle’s work further exposes that revisionist history in the U.S. and beyond, as well as the refurbished, decades-old excuses Confederate enthusiasts exploit in order to defend the indefensible.”

“In Georgia, we have a visible, and seemingly intractable, challenge with the enormous Stone Mountain carving of Lee, Jackson and Davis – literally etched in stone. Especially now, as it became legislatively protected as a compromise when the Confederate flag was removed from Georgia’s state flag,” explains Tuttle. “While these conversations are often uncomfortable, I am more uncomfortable NOT having them. Let’s talk about race; let’s talk about systemic racism; let’s come to terms with what each of us can do, individually and collectively, even spiritually, to bend the arc of history towards justice.”

“For 25 years Lisa Tuttle has used her art as a platform to express her personal and public stance for the dismantling of old attitudes and monuments as a pathway for positive change,” adds Kevin Sipp, project supervisor for the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “These works of art and activism are not just collectibles, although their beauty may lend itself to such ends, they interrogate the viewer and ask of the one receiving them to question where they stand mentally and morally.”

“The SPLC looks forward to collaborating with Lisa Tuttle, the City of Atlanta, and Gallery 72 as we continue the important work and conversations that lead to removing Confederate symbols from public spaces,” concludes Brooks.