I want to thank Allen Woods for his column about the Vincent Valdez exhibit at MASS MOCA. I saw the exhibit a few months ago and was overwhelmed by the work of this amazing artist I had not previously heard of. I have been studying and was, until I retired in 2011, teaching about white supremacy along with patriarchy, class, and sexuality for decades. Yet, Valdez’s work literally took my breath away, as truly great art often does. The power and nuance he brings to his work — the brutality, the resistance, as well as the love, and dignity of the people who are the targets of white supremacy — has had a profound effect on my life. I assure you that if you make a trip to the museum to see this exhibit, you will be enriched by being in the presence of Vincent Valdez’s work.
Arlene Avakian
Northampton