Leading a focus on social justice
Mill Valley artist melds art and activism in creative collective's projects
In the beginning of the pandemic, heart art began popping up on boarded-up businesses in San Francisco and the East Bay, offering unifying and comforting messages such as “See You Soon” and “We Do This Together.”
It’s just one of the projects by the Introverts Collective, a group founded by Mill Valley’s Zoe Fry that explores the intersection of art, consciousness and activism.
The group also tackles tough topics, which it did in “Perspectives: Past, Present, Future,” a community-building art project consisting of three free-standing doors placed at the Mill Valley Depot Plaza this fall addressing systemic racism, and giving people an opportunity to share their stories and reflect on what they imagine for the future.
The decorated doors will be on display next month at Gallery Route One in Point Reyes Station, along with photographs and videos about the project and participating artists.
Q How did the collective come to be?
A I had this idea for a gigantic egg sculpture in the desert at Burning Man. I applied for a grant through them and didn’t get it. Up until that point, I didn’t identify
as an artist, I identified as a creative person. The last time I’d had a piece of art in a show was in college. The egg, the name is the Ovule — an ovule is the part of the plant that has the female germ — so this thing started to become this ode to the feminine, the feminine identity and what is it means to be feminine, and the natural world. That project was my launching into a new identity but it was the rejection from Burning Man that caused me to feel like I’m the kid on the schoolyard who didn’t get picked. I went for a hike after
receiving the rejection email and I thought, I am going to create this group for people like me. Later, I ended up building the egg anyway with a group.
Q What’s driven your art activism?
A I spend a lot of time imagining how humanity could do things different, how to create impact, how to create change, how to help people learn, how to help people evolve, and want to be part of helping people grow their consciousness.
Q What was your takeaway from “Perspectives”?
A I felt relief that this thing that has always been uncomfortable for me, living in Mill Valley, was being talked about openly. And that I was able to have conversations with people in a healthy way. I brought in three biracial women, Winona Lewis, Mill Valley’s Naima Dean and Sharon Virtue. My job is to build that blank canvas, but somebody else gets to be the storyteller, because that’s their community. Seeing them be able to paint and write the story and then have that be in a predominately white community and have that received by that community in such a positive way and have that community learn from that story and consume that story, warmed my heart.
Q What do you hope people get from this upcoming exhibit?
A I am hoping the show inspires people to feel more comfortable having active and healthy conversations about race, because that’s really what this piece is about. It’s an invitation for conversation. It’s time for us to stop, listen and learn, and then take action that’s directed by people of color, that’s supportive of people of color, that’s toward the goal of equity, inclusion and belonging.