Juilee Decker and Hinda Mandell: Pioneers in Crafting Democracy
Behind every significant exhibition are tireless curators passionately bringing their vision to life. For ‘Crafting Democracy: Fiber Arts and Activism,’ these are Juilee Decker and Hinda Mandell, two accomplished academics who have dedicated their careers to exploring the intersection of art, communication, and society.
Juilee Decker: A Scholar of Museum Studies and Public History
An associate professor of museum studies at Rochester Institute of Technology, Juilee Decker, is a scholar and practitioner in her field. Her contributions include the third edition of ‘Museums in Motion: An Introduction to the History and Functions of Museums (2017) and the four-volume series ‘Innovative Approaches for Museums’ (2015). Her forthcoming monograph, ‘Sculpting Her Legacy: Enid Yandell, Kentucky’s Pioneer Artist,’ promises to be an intriguing exploration of a pioneering figure in the art world. Decker’s keen insights into the role of museums in our society have shaped her curatorial approach, framing exhibitions that challenge and provoke thought.
Hinda Mandell: A Voice in Communication and Gender Politics
Hinda Mandell, an associate professor in the School of Communication at Rochester Institute of Technology, brings a unique perspective to ‘Crafting Democracy.’ With a keen focus on gender and politics, Mandell has co-edited ‘Nasty Women and Bad Hombres: Gender and Race in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election’ (University of Rochester Press, 2018) and authored ‘Sex Scandals, Gender, and Power in Contemporary American Politics’ (Praeger, 2017). Her forthcoming book, ‘Crafting Dissent: Handicraft as Protest from the American Revolution to the Pussyhats,’ explores the role of handicraft in political protest, echoing the themes present in the ‘Crafting Democracy exhibit.
The Intersection of Art, Activism, and Democracy
Decker and Mandell have utilized their expertise to interrogate what democracy means today through the ‘Crafting Democracy: Fiber Arts and Activism’ exhibit. By using craft as a creative force to voice dissent, express hope, critique civil rights’ curtailment, and restore dignity to the human experience, they challenged viewers to consider their individual and collective roles in crafting democracy.
As CraftingDemocracy.com transitions into a bipartisan political news platform, we honor the work of these pioneers, Juilee Decker and Hinda Mandell. Their legacy reminds us of the power of art and communication in shaping our democratic discourse. We are committed to continuing this critical dialogue, exploring the intersections of politics, society, and culture in our reporting.
Please explore our site to dive deeper into these discussions, and join us as we craft our shared democratic future.
