Pope.L at Purchase College, SUNY

Punching Up, curated by Jon Lutz and Janine Polak, brings together visual artists working within various permutations of humor (irony, puns, deadpan, satire, etc.) in the service of critiquing those in power. Referring to a comedy-world golden rule of taking cultural hierarchies to task, the artists in Punching Up point out, examine, and combat issues of power. When done with intelligence and humanity, humor has a unique ability to dismantle the status quo, be subversive, raise consciousness, and address current issues. Racism, classism, gentrification, capitalism, elitism, and the art world itself are all subjects to be exposed and examined. Artists featured in the show work in a variety of mediums including printmaking, drawing, painting, sculpture, video, and performance.