Illumination
Her Voice Carries features women who are lifting up the voices of others through a network of murals across America that weave a collective story laced with individual truths. Her Voice Carries is much more than a public mural art project; it is deliberate, documented story telling -- lifting women’s voices through audio recordings, film, website, social media, and a traveling exhibition. The traveling exhibition includes an audio app which allows viewers to listen to each of the women’s stories directly as well as site maps that visually catalogue each installation. Each story becomes part of a larger dialogue that emphasizes the commonalities of our human experience through the leadership of empowered women.
Sarah’s Story
The seeds of Her Voice Carries are planted in Rochester, New York, where Sarah C. Rutherford has spent the past decade developing her skills as a respected muralist and illustrator. Through her participation in Wall Therapy, an international public art initiative and development of ROC Paint Division, a youth mural program operated by the City of Rochester, Sarah has become one of Rochester’s community jewels. Her contributions as a servant leader led to co-founding THE YARDS Collaborative Art Space and local recognition as a Young Athena Awards finalist. It has been through this community service that Sarah saw the need for greater and more inclusive representation of women in public space and celebration of women who are changing their worlds, one corner at a time. Sarah’s desire to discover what inspires these women, what drives them, what they have seen, and why they quietly do what they can to lift up the voices of others inspired her love letter to Rochester, and its introduction of Her Voice Carries to the nation.
Intention
Sarah’s intention with Her Voice Carries is to give greater depth and presence to women working in our communities who are lifting up the voices of others by creating visual representations of their respective contributions using public space. With every new mural, woman, and city featured, the individual threads of each voice are woven together to create a collective story of inspiration and hope. The facades of underutilized structures re-purposes them as canvases that give public accolades while creating connections across the sections of each participating city.
Her Voice Carries aims to encourage people to expand their circles, allowing them to overlap and listen to the featured women and their voices around our communities.