In Solidarity

Maren Henson

Jewett Art Gallery

Oct. 12 - Dec. 13, 2019

install view of white walled gallery with wood floor, large charcoal drawings on left and right walls; back wall has gray painted rectangle, smaller drawings, and video screen

In Solidarity, an exhibition of drawings and media work by Maren Henson, focuses on her father's career as an aircraft mechanic and the broad implications that can be drawn from one worker's experiences with layoffs, corporate and political intimidation, and strikes.

Throughout the exhibition, slogans taken from historical sources reveal the language used by striking workers to communicate their demands to the public and to the company. Two ten-foot drawings frame the space, showing piles of signs used by striking workers: air traffic controllers on strike in 1981 and aircraft mechanics in 1983. Corporate logos integrated into the drawings references the sources of the intimidation that workers face. Historical documents detail corporate actions against workers by way of restraining orders, letters threatening the families of striking workers, and anti-strike legislation.

large charcoal drawing depicting pile of strike signs, with text behind, stripes at top and bottom of the paper, on a white gallery wall

At the center of the exhibition, a found footage video of all the aircraft Henson's father has worked on over the course of his forty-year career is framed by drawings of a letter threatening their family, received the day before he went on strike. An interview with her father provides audio for the video, describing the work he and his union have done to combat the status quo and to fight for better wages, benefits, working conditions, and quality of life. Their fight continues today to reclaim benefits and pensions won in the 1990s and lost in mergers in the 2000s.

video screen installed on a gray wall with headphones next to it; video image shows an airplane overlaid with one interviewing another

This exhibition is dedicated to Henson's father and to workers around the world. Policies that make it harder to organize have curtailed the ability of workers to earn a fair and decent living. Unions and labor within the United States need to be broadly discussed in all fields and understood as we progress to a more equitable future.

In Solidarity was on view in the Jewett Art Gallery from October 12 - December 13, 2019.

large charcoal drawing of what might be cockpit window forms, with darker stripes and logos resembling airline logos/aircraft livery

angled close up view of a document from the Teamsters-Local 210 Aircraft Mechanics, titled 'Profit Sharing Update!'

angled close up view of document with text, titled 'National Labor Relation--', sitting on top of a white pedestal with black headphones hanging from the side of the pedestal

large black, white, and gray charcoal drawing of what look like 4 ghostly dark airplane windows

install view of a gallery with white wall, wood floor, black bench centered on a gray rectangle painted on the wall; vertical charcoal drawings and white paper with text flank a video screen installed on the wall with headphones

install view of a white walled gallery with wood floor; at left, smaller charcoal drawing of 4 airplane windows; at center, white pedestal with documents on top and headphones on each side; at right, very large horizontal charcoal drawing with small text and drawing of large banner reading 'SUPPORT THE PATCO STRIKERS; STOP REAGAN'S UNION BUSTING'

install view of a white walled, wood floored gallery with charcoal drawings on the walls, 2 pedestals with headphones, 2 benches, gray rectangle painted on the back wall with more charcoal drawings and a video screen installed on top

close up of a charcoal drawing with handwritten text reading 'grave indeed/going on strike is NOT in your best interests/hurts you and your family'

Maren Henson

Maren Henson works in drawing, video, and sound art, often engaging with language and systems of power. She received her Master of Fine Art degree in the Mount Royal School of Multidisciplinary Art at the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2017, where she was a finalist for the Toby Devan Lewis Fellowship. She has since been a resident artist at the Vermont Studio Center and a visiting artist at MICA. Her work has been exhibited in New York, Puerto Rico, Maryland, Texas, and California. At the time of this exhibition she lives and works in Baltimore, MD.

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