FOREWARD

RESIST — The word is fraught with multiple meanings at this point in our history as a country and a people — undeniably fragmented people. One of the many recent strands of discourse about resistance has emerged from the work of women, women who have resisted the efforts of men to continue the practices of millennia... But this work of resistance can be exhausting. This has lead to the second layer: the entreaty to persist.

Persisters, an ongoing series by Jo Hay, is a tremendously engaging collection of large-scale paintings, portraits of women who have persisted in this difficult effort. They include Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Rachel Maddow, Elizabeth Warren, Ayanna Pressley, Emma Gonzalez, Dr Christine Blasey-Ford, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Greta Thunberg.

The engagement is visual as well as narrative. While each portrait puts viewers in mind of the incredible work done by these women, their stories and histories (which of course are ongoing), the visual contents are perhaps even more inspiring. These huge canvases are infused with energy and inspiring joy. You can see the delight and commitment with which they persist in resisting. The colors are striking and vibrant. The brushstrokes are bravura yet nuanced to be sure. After seeing these recent works by Jo Hay, one has a sense that yes, it is possible to persist and in fact it’s required and will be exhilarating.

— John T. O’Connor

John T. O’Connor received his Masters degree from Harvard Graduate School of Design and has co-authored books on art and architecture such as Unseen Warhol and Philip Johnson: The Architect in His Own Words