Gallery Director’s Exhibition at the Woody Guthrie Center
A spotlight exhibition entitled Voices of the People! 110+ Years of Sociopolitical Stickers from the USA is currently on display at the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, through December 2024.
Organized by Catherine Tedford, Director of the Richard F. Brush Art Gallery, the exhibition features hundreds of examples in her collection from the early 20thcentury to present day, beginning with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), who pioneered the use of “stickerettes” or “silent agitators” to combat poor working conditions and promote worker solidarity.
Also highlighted in the exhibition is Woody Guthrie’s involvement with the IWW in the 1930s, illustrating how his music, including the famous “Union Maid,” was influenced by the IWW’s advocacy for workers’ rights and women’s rights within the labor movement. The exhibition continues through the decades, featuring historical stickers from the 1960s and ’70s, used by groups protesting the Vietnam War. A series of LGBTQ+ stickers from the 1980s and ’90s highlights the fight for gay rights during the HIV/AIDS crisis. Lastly, a collection of stickers from the 2010s and ’20s address labor rights, Black Lives Matter, and environmental activism.
Tedford writes, “I can’t think of a more appropriate venue for this sticker exhibition than the Woody Guthrie Center. Guthrie’s songs were written in response to political and economic injustices, often giving voice to the struggles of the working class, migrants, and marginalized communities. Publicly-placed stickers often function in the same way, communicating their messages to raise awareness about social and political issues and to encourage civic engagement.”