I am thrilled to have been invited to display one of my Protest Umbrellas at an exciting exhibit being offered by Salem State University, my alma mater! I got the idea to paint an umbrella, rather than a poster, after standing in both pouring rain and in melting sun! Over the months, I have shared my methods with many other activists and the protest umbrellas are “popping up” all over! The umbrellas and many clever protest posters are part of the Art, Activism & Democracy show featuring the art of Sue Coe & Stephen F. Eisenman — as well as the 2025 documentary A SAVAGE ART: The Life & Cartoons of Pat Oliphant.
ART, ACTIVISM & DEMOCRACY
SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY
Sue Coe & Stephen F. Eisenman
November 20 – December 19, 2025.
Artist Talk: Thursday, December 4, from 12:30 – 1:30 PM.
Sue Coe will discuss her work in the Winfisky Gallery at the Ellison Campus Center.
Reception: Thursday, December 4, from 1:30 – 3:00 PM.
For further information contact Ken Reker at kreker@salemstate.edu
“A picture is worth a thousand words”. Throughout history, artists have responded to the
inequities around them in the form of images, music, literature & performance.
Since the 1970s, Sue Coe has worked at the juncture of art and social activism to
expose injustices and abuses of power. This exhibition combines the powerful artwork of Sue
Coe with the lucid writing of Stephen F. Eisenmen, in highlights from their new book, THE
YOUNG PERSON’S ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO AMERICAN FASCISM.
Coe and Eisenman participate in a tradition dating back at least to the Age of Revolution, and spiking during tumultuous times, of artworks designed to foster social change, often by confronting the viewer with challenging imagery. As a compliment to this exhibition, assembled from a Call for Hand-
Made Protest Posters, demonstration placards from various rallies will be on display in the Winfisky Gallery.
The exhibition offers viewers an opportunity to reflect upon the ideals of democracy, while
aiming to elicit thoughts about ‘what’ individual values are most important in this endeavor.
The 2025 documentary A SAVAGE ART: The Life & Cartoons of Pat Oliphant will be
screened on Tuesday, December 2, at 7:00PM in Veterans Hall in the Ellison Campus Center.
A Savage Art chronicles the incredible life & career of Pulitzer Prize political cartoonist Patrick
Oliphant, spanning fifty years & ten U.S. presidents. It features interviews with Pat, his family,
friends & colleagues, alongside archival footage & hundreds of his distinctive cartoons. The film
also provides a concise history of political cartoons, illustrating their significance & influence on
Pat & other cartoonists. It underscores why, in today’s era of political polarization & corporate
media control, political cartoonists like Oliphant remain crucial in holding power accountable.