Shattering Silence & Amplifying Voices for Social Justice | Nov 8 – Dec 1, 2024
Artist Statement
Bubbling Up is a deeply personal project born from a desire to heal my own experiences with racial injustice and offer that same process to the community. Healing must be cultivated from within, but it can be accelerated and deepened through sharing, witnessing, and being reflected in others. Historically silenced voices are brought to the forefront and have a platform to be acknowledged and honored. Each story affirms that no one’s struggles exist in isolation. The responses of non-BIPOC visitors contributes to the dialogue essential for meaningful social change.
At the heart of this work lies a call to action for healing and solidarity. The BIPOC community is invited to write their stories of racism, harassment, and injustice on fabricated, sphere-like bubbles that represent the bubbles some people live in, when sheltered from the experience of discrimination. The bubbles also represent the pain rising to the surface to be transformed and healed. These stories offer a chance to better understand the invisible wounds carried by the people we live alongside. The community is invited to add their responses of respect for lived experiences, commitment to change, or allyship. Bubbling Up seeks to change how individuals and families speak about and understand racism. Open conversations about race and injustice are essential in counteracting implicit biases, especially in children’s development.
The full spectrum of racially discriminatory events is captured, from obvious and blatant acts to subtle, seemingly harmless moments concealed by cultural norms and deeper systems of oppression. The installation is extended through QR codes accompanying some bubbles that deconstruct the stories and provide insights into how certain phrases, actions, or situations perpetuate exclusion and harm. Understanding these issues is crucial for dismantling systemic oppression and helps us move toward a more inclusive and equitable society.
Bubbling Up is adaptable to different spaces and events, ensuring its relevance in diverse contexts. It travels nationally and internationally, continually expanding its impact through engagement with communities across diverse regions. If you are interested in hosting Bubbling Up as an exhibition or storytelling event, please contact me via my website, www.HealingGraceStudio.com.
This project is continually evolving, with new stories added through the website, social media and through community events and exhibitions. These events serve as spaces for personal expression and empathy-building. Ultimately, Bubbling Up is not just an art installation but an invitation to connect, reflect, and heal—one story, one bubble, at a time.
About Grace Gee
Grace Gee’s healing art explores the boundaries of the human condition, bringing to light the deep, often unspoken aspects of our shared experiences. Her work challenges the mind and nourishes the spirit while providing pathways to engage in a changing consciousness. Her art holds space for vulnerability to exist.
She works in a variety of media, including sculpture, fiber, artist books, and installation work. Her art practice includes working within a community framework, producing healing art events for all ages since 2003. Her work is influenced by her bi-cultural upbringing and is strongly rooted in spiritual growth, healing, and transformation.
Grace is a Chinese Canadian who now resides in Louisville, Colorado. She has lived and worked in Canada, the US and Hong Kong and has traveled widely in Europe and Asia. Her unique perspectives are strongly informed by her BA in Psychology and an MA in Conscious Evolution.