Happy New Year from FRONT!

“Oh, God of dust and rainbows, help us see
That without dust the rainbow would not be.”

–Langston Hughes (1957)

These verses by Langston Hughes—who moved to Cleveland in his childhood—are a meditation on adversity and a prayer for transformation. They shaped FRONT 2022’s curatorial approach, which embraces art as an agent of transformation, a mode of healing, and a therapeutic process. They also inspired our exhibition title, Oh, Gods of Dust and Rainbows, which extends Hughes’ original invocation to signal a plurality of beliefs, stories, places, and people.

In the spirit of polyvocality, we invited the broader FRONT team to reflect with us on a challenging year, a year in which we’ve all experienced plenty of dust...and some rainbows too. We wanted to listen and learn, to acknowledge the tragedies, the failures, the inequalities, while also making space for the joy, the care, and the creativity. We’ve shared some of the responses with you below and we invite you, in turn, to share your own reflections on the year with us here.

Amidst 2020's many transformations, Tina Kukielski has decided to transition from her role as Co-Artistic Director into leading FRONT 2022’s Artistic Team. This move responds to family obligations and the pandemic. Prem Krishnamurthy will continue as FRONT's Artistic Director. We appreciate Tina's crucial role in developing the project's concept and approach and we’re pleased she will continue to provide insight on the exhibition, its publications, and planning.

Wishing you all a happy new year. May 2021 hold more rainbows than dust for everyone!

Warmest,
Fred, Prem, Sarah, Allison