Milwaukee Artists Explore Creative Resistance and Collective Strength in New Cross-Disciplinary Exhibition
feature image: David Najib Kasir, Young Hearts Die In Divide
submitted
Opening July 18 at the 5th Street Gallery, 423 W. Pierce, Revolting explores the provocative, disturbing, and revolutionary duality of resistance, emphasizing the transformative power of disruption.
Revolting is a cross-disciplinary art event that spans visual art, wearable sculpture, and music. Organized by Evelyn Winter, a Milwaukee-based artist and third-year Fine Arts student at MIAD, the exhibition brings together 17 Milwaukee-based artists working at the intersections of identity, resistance, and the strength found in solidarity.
In a cultural moment marked by erasure, burnout, and systemic injustice, Revolting offers a space where artists speak with unapologetic clarity. The work in the exhibition engages themes including:
- Cultural survival in the face of displacement
- Reclamation of motherhood and ancestral labor
- A direct indictment of the racism that is woven into the American fabric
- Queer expression as radical self-possession
- Pressures on BIPOC women to carry emotional burdens without support
- Blue-collar labor, vulnerability, and bodily endurance
- Divine displays of confrontational femininity
The result is a dynamic, emotionally charged show where protest and tenderness exist side by side—where vulnerability becomes armor, and personal truth becomes political power.
In addition to the visual art exhibition, Revolting features the debut of Winter’s 11-track album of the same name, accompanied by a runway performance of original wearable sculptures at the closing reception on August 15th. Each piece, constructed from cast metal, 3D-printed plastic, and chain mail, is inspired by a track on the album and explores what it means to disrupt: socially, politically, and personally.
“Revolting is really about the value of pushing back and adapting, even when obstacles feel overwhelming — because the act of reimagining and resistance itself creates meaning,” says Winter.
Event Details:
- Closing Fashion Showcase + Celebration: Friday, August 15th, 2025, from 5-9pm (performance at 7pm)
- Dates: July 18th-August 15th
- General hours: Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 12-5pm, Sunday from 12-4pm
- Venue: the 5th Street Gallery, 423 W. Pierce, Milwaukee
- Admission: Free and open to the public
Participating Artists:
Liala Amin, Blanche Brown, Caroline Calvano, Jamal Currie, John Fleissner, Margaret Griffin, Siren Harris, Jenny Jo, David Najib Kasir, Dara Larson, Teddy Lepley, Chad Alexander Matha, Will Pergl, Makenna Schibler, Andrea Skyberg, Evelyn Winter, and Della Wells