ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO)—In a quiet gallery tucked inside a former industrial building, the walls speak in brushstrokes and broken memories. The “Bruised” exhibit at the 317 Art Collaborative gathers the voices of local artists who have survived domestic violence, transforming personal trauma into public testimony through deeply intimate works of art.
Curated by Ingrid Hyde, the exhibit aims to create a safe space for artists to share their experiences with domestic violence and to foster community support. Hyde, who had personal experience with domestic violence as a youth, hopes the exhibit will help others understand the complexities and impacts of such experiences.
Manny Tang, one of the artists featured in the exhibit, uses the pseudonym ChinaCat663 to sign her work, which comes from her Chinese heritage, love of cats, and wanting to be a little spooky. She explained that her art is an extension of herself and often carries themes of feminism. Tang’s piece for the exhibit focuses on hope and recovery, symbolized by a purple onion blossoming despite being caged, representing resilience and the complexity of domestic violence situations…