KARLA DIAZ

Turn the volume up! examines how artists, activists, and everyday people have used their voices to challenge injustice, build communities, and shape public life, inviting visitors to consider how we might do the same. Open during the United States’ 250th anniversary, the exhibition situates these stories within the broader history of American democracy, highlighting how speaking out, documenting events, organizing movements, and creating art can galvanize collective action.

The exhibition is divided into five thematic sections informed by governmental processes and community organizing: Remarks, Organize, Records, Dissents, and Petitions. Through photographs, paintings, prints, sculpture, installation, and archival materials, artists examine how we can influence public discourse and inspire civic action.

Turn the volume up! highlights how seemingly ordinary acts, such as voting, petitioning, protesting, taking photographs, or making speeches, can become part of larger movements that strengthen communities and influence history. The exhibition’s title references New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s quotation of Bronx rapper KRS-One’s 2020 anthem, “Turn the Volume Up,” after his election victory—a moment that underscored the power of everyday people participating in local democracy.

Featuring works by influential artists such as Kara Walker, Carrie Mae Weems, Guerrilla Girls, and Sam Durant, Turn the volume up! offers a range of perspectives on power, representation, and the ongoing work of building a more equitable future. Artworks will be rotated throughout the exhibition’s run, pulling from the Nasher Museum’s deep collection of works connected to social justice and community organizing.