On The Front Lines
Sept. 8-Oct. 28: Firefish Gallery to Feature 20-Year Retrospective of Civil Rights Attorney John W. Whitehead’s Paintings
“John Whitehead is not only one of the nation’s most consistent and persistent civil libertarians. He is also a remarkably perceptive illustrator of our popular culture, its insights and dangers.” —Nat Hentoff, nationally syndicated columnist
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Firefish Gallery, located at 108 2nd Street NW in Charlottesville, Virginia, is featuring a 20-year retrospective of civil rights attorney John W. Whitehead’s paintings from September 8-October 28, 2012. The exhibit, titled “Instant Karma,” will include both oil and watercolor paintings. A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of the paintings will be donated to The Rutherford Institute to support its efforts to advance the dialogue on civil liberties in America and defend individuals whose rights have been violated. Whitehead’s paintings can be viewed at Firefish Gallery’s website, firefishgallery.net, or in person through October 28, 2012.
“I see art as a way of making people stop and think about what’s happening around them,” said Whitehead, whose Rutherford Institute recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. “I am provoking people’s imaginations and challenging their concepts of reality. In our hectic world, people need to stop and think more about the unseen reality of life.”
John Whitehead is a man who defies all stereotypes: attorney, film director, painter, poet, musician and author. Considered a legal, political and cultural watchdog—sounding the call for integrity, accountability and an adherence to the democratic principles on which this country was founded, Whitehead’s concern for the persecuted and oppressed led him, in 1982, to establish The Rutherford Institute, a nonprofit legal and educational organization whose international headquarters are located in Charlottesville, Virginia. Deeply committed to protecting the constitutional freedoms of every American and the integral human rights of all people, The Rutherford Institute has emerged as a prominent leader in the national dialogue on civil liberties and human rights and a formidable champion of the Constitution. Whitehead’s approach to civil liberties issues has earned him numerous accolades and accomplishments, including the Hungarian Medal of Freedom. Whitehead has written, debated and practiced widely in the areas of constitutional law, human rights and popular culture. Whitehead’s weekly commentaries, carried by daily and weekly newspapers and web publications across the country, including The Huffington Post, take the pulse of the nation, of what’s happening and what’s news. His provocative Gadfly magazine (now GadflyOnline.com) has been hailed by Utne Reader as “second only to the Library of Congress as a warehouse of American pop culture—and number one when it comes to fun reading.” Whitehead is the author of some 30 books, including The Change Manifesto and The Freedom Wars. Whitehead’s Grasping for the Wind documentary series was awarded two Silver World Medals at the New York Film and Video Festival. Most recently, in 2010 and 2011, music videos based on songs written by Whitehead were ranked among the top ten winners of a Music/Performance Video Contest sponsored by the Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida.
