From the collection of the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, an exhibition titled ‘Turn the Volume Up!’ celebrates American democracy and freedom of speech through art as an agent of change. Featuring works by contemporary artists such as Spider Martin, Kara Walker, Guerilla Girls, Carrie Mae Weems and Bruce Davidson, the show explores how visual languages are used to convey important messages and influence civic action.

The exhibition is organised into five thematic areas: Remarks, Organize, Records, Dissents, and Petitions. Photography, sculpture, installation, painting and more illustrate the diverse ways in which artists have fought for social justice over the decades. For example, the Guerilla Girls famously shone a light on the lack of representation of women artists in visual art and popular culture through posters around Manhattan in the 1980s.

Davidson’s striking images of social inequality—from the Jim Crow South to impoverished neighbourhoods in New York City—demonstrate his commitment to illuminating hidden truths. Meanwhile, Carol Summers’ bold screenprint of a giant red ‘X’ over a photo of a Vietnamese mother and her children was part of a campaign by Artists and Writers Protest urging an end to the war in Vietnam.

Throughout the show’s run, pieces will be rotated so visitors can experience a wide array of works from the museum’s collection. ‘Turn the Volume Up!’ opens on 27 August and will continue until 11 July 2027, followed by Everything Now All at Once.