Project Onward and [salonlb.]
Got Soul

The Catacombs at Epiphany Center for the Arts

August 12, to September 24, 2022

Soul is the active or essential part of being. The power of soul comes in many forms – be it visual, ritual or musical – and can reveal divine secrets and wisdom. It can transform our consciousness and lead to enlightenment.

Various cultures and religions interpret the soul differently. The Christian Bible perceives the “Soul” as having formed when God breathed life into the body, and believes that it grows and develops through time. A person does not have a soul, but becomes a soul. Buddhists believe that there is no permanent self or soul. Because there is no unchanging permanent essence or soul, Buddhists sometimes talk about energy being reborn, rather than as “souls.” Soul can also be interpreted in more fluid terms, such as the core nature or most important qualities of a person or thing. In connection with the artists’ works, these concepts are at the core of why they make art.

One of the purest connections someone can make with art is through the soul. There are moments when visual art can communicate a higher level of understanding to the viewer, and transcend the physical image. With Got Soul, Project Onward and [salonlb.] artists exhibit various forms of crafting stories: transforming brief moments into images and creating symbols that connect with people; understanding culture and embodying imagination. Author and poet Toba Beta stated, “Charisma is the fragrance of the soul.” Likewise, some of the artists’ sense of soul connects to the idea of charisma in soul- such as it pertains to celebrities and their impact, or how a person can inspire action.

Above all, the artists in Got Soul aim to give the viewer a connection to the immaterial self, or the intense feeling of being more than just the physical body.

Got Soul was co-curated by Project Onward Creative Director Robyn Jablonski and [salonlb.] Associate Director and Curator Scott Renfo, in partnership with Epiphany Center for the Arts. This exhibition features work from Project Onward artists Julius Bautista, Ruby Bradford, Michael Bryant, C.M. Butterfly, Louis DeMarco, Coral Kappel, Shedrewick Key, Luke Shemroske, Michael Smith, Hailee Tyner, David Holt, William Douglas and Sereno Wilson; and [salonlb.] artists Laura Collins, Paul Kenneth, Savannah Jubic, Parvin Peivandi and Bobbi Meier.

For more information or to schedule a viewing appointment, please email art@epiphanychi.com.