We > Me: 17 Artists Explore Hamilton Neighborhoods

We are greater than me. In this era of divisive attitudes and actions, this exhibition focuses on the power of telling the ongoing story of the 10th largest city in Ohio, Hamilton, by uniting multiple perspectives and interpretations. In a partnership between the Fitton Center for Creative Arts and the citizen-led initiative, 17STRONG, a regional artist is matched with each of Hamilton’s 17 diverse neighborhoods to find visual narratives that define community. Selected photographers roam their assigned areas to find the aspects, aesthetics, and personalities they wish to capture in images. By spending time within the neighborhoods’ borders and interacting with residents, artists unearth stories of the unexpected: a moment in time, a path to the past, an interior or exterior space, a unique point of view, the energy behind-the-scenes of an event, or an unusual interaction. 

The resulting series of photographs unite various visual tales of Hamilton’s 17 neighborhoods into four gallery rooms at the Fitton Center. The images in We > Me integrate the separate layers of experience that make up a community. In turn, the project engages and connects numerous individuals and groups in a new understanding of this riverside community by sparking dialogue, empathy, and positive action through lens-based art. 

Artists: Melissa Brewer-Hinners, Craig DeHart, EFM Studios, Amy Fisher, Leslie Getz, Jessi Hamersky, William Jones, Scott Kissell, Kent Krugh, Jessie Lakes, Robert J. Ordonez, Gabi Roach, Michael Schalk, Audra J. Shields, Billy Simms, Todd A. Stuart, Matthew Zory

Curator: Cathy Mayhugh, Director of Exhibitions