Looking back at 2021 and looking forward

During another year of record breaking, heart breaking, gun violence, we are grateful to our host venues who stepped up to help us keep the portraits on view during this challenging year. Many of our originally scheduled hosts had to cancel or postpone because of the pandemic. Despite the setbacks, we were able to keep the 2019-20 portraits and the 2020-21 portraits on view through November this year. 

During this past year we were interviewed by several local television stations and publications (view our News page here), our hosts held virtual and in person events such as discussion groups with middle schoolers, guided visits with youth groups and social work interns from The University of Pennsylvania graduate school, a mass for peace in conjunction with Heeding God’s Call to End Gun Violence and Chestnut Hill College, well attended events at that college and at Brookdale Community College, opportunities to engage the community during concerts at St. Martins-in-the-Fields church, video interviews with participants, both family members and artists at Logan Library, virtual panel discussion hosted by Einstein Hospital, and an incredible kick off for the two new groups of portraits. The Philadelphia area exhibition, opening at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, was attended by over 200 people on the first night. Our premiere New Jersey exhibition opened at Rowan College of South Jersey with an invitation only event, due to Covid restrictions, which featured an inspiring address by the college president and one of the students whose son’s portrait is in the show. 

Crisis Canines visit the opening program at Rowan College of South Jersey to comfort family and friends of the victims depicted in the portraits who attended the event

The premiere of the New Jersey chapter’s exhibition represents the culmination of a two years’ long effort, thwarted frequently by the pandemic. We look forward to bringing more artists, family members, and volunteers on board to keep this chapter strong. We are also in talks with museums throughout Pennsylvania to start a chapter that will focus on gun deaths and injuries outside of the Philadelphia region. We are always looking for passionate volunteers to assist with our expansion efforts! 

We have brought on board a volunteer bookkeeper and are hoping to expand our financial support through grants and funding partners. As always, we welcome volunteers to help with these efforts, as well.

We represented the project at an event for families of victims hosted by UCAN where we were able to connect with more families, many of whom will be participants in Souls Shot Portrait Project. Representative Madeleine Dean made a special visit to the exhibition when it was at Flourtown Presbyterian Church where she met with the aunt and children of a young man represented in one of the portraits. 

To give you an idea of what goes into presenting these portraits in the various spaces - keep in mind this part is completely volunteer run - let me take you through our process:

First, the portraits must be packaged and labeled carefully so that they do not get damaged during the year-long run of the exhibition. Installation is carefully planned out using thumbnail images ahead of time so that the portraits do not have to be moved around a lot in the space before hanging. Many venues have challenging situations that require some ingenuity! We designed and built a hanging system for Logan Library, we had to hang from a rail that was 12 feet off the ground at Chestnut Hill College, to name two of the challenging situations. We make and laminate labels to go with each portrait. When moving to the next host, we re-package all of the artwork, load it into a van, and take it to the next spot. We produce the full color catalog that chronicles each group of portraits. We produce take away cards with information on the project. 

This is a bare bones account of the work that goes into mounting an exhibition and keeping it on view for a year. Countless phone calls, emails, texts, and planning is involved to make sure all of the artwork gets made and the host venues are scheduled. 

I cannot accurately describe in words the power of these portraits, these exhibitions, to affect those who experience them. I am honored to have been able to interact with so many family members, friends, artists, and visitors to the exhibitions, who have told me their stories and described literally life changing experiences as a result of their interaction with the Souls Shot Portrait Project.

The youth group from East Falls Presbyterian Church listening to Maxayn Gooden speaking about her son Jah'sun in front of his portrait by Caroline Stoughton.

Sadly, there are many more souls waiting to be memorialized with a portrait. We will continue to create these powerful exhibitions and we are optimistic that they will continue to touch all who will see them and continue the movement towards peace. 

Thank you for reading this and for considering either volunteering or a donation or fundraising event to benefit Souls Shot Portrait Project so that we can continue our work. 

Executive Director & Curator of the Souls Shot Portrait Project, Laura Madeleine