Post Silence

Abstract

Given the recent exposure of alleged child sexual abuse at Penn State, as well as a uniform portrayal by mass media, authors strive to produce alternative and personal narratives and to critique the institution’s culture of silence through the medium of postcard art and public display. Along with the Graduate Art Education Association, they organized the exhibition, “Post Silence,” at Penn State’s Zoller Gallery. They provided a public space where all community members could express how they felt about these incidents by creating postcards and exhibiting them at the gallery, thus allowing diverse voices to be heard. The visual responses show the story’s entanglements: tragic abuse, the involvement of esteemed and powerful figures, and the sense of shared disgrace. In this article, the authors discuss the implementation and public pedagogical impact of Post Silence.