When you think of racism, do you think it was conquered in the 1960s civil right movement? Or do you shake your head sadly at the evidence that it is still alive and thriving in our new online world?

The Penticton Art Gallery is opening up the conversation about the resurgence of racism and xenophobia with 91裸聊视频渆Racism,91裸聊视频� an exhibition starting at the gallery in July.

Curator Paul Crawford was inspired, in part, by examples of historical racism in Penticton and the South Okanagan. He displays ads and news stories from the 1920s: 91裸聊视频淜eep Penticton White; We Want White Fruit Packers; Another Chinaman is given ticket and told to leave Oliver.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲hat is the legacy of that?91裸聊视频� Crawford asks. 91裸聊视频淪tatistically, the Okanagan Valley is one of the whitest, least immigrated part of Canada. We91裸聊视频檙e a lot poorer for it.91裸聊视频�

Crawford recalls being in high school and learning about the rise of fascism in the early 20th Century, asking himself how people could be so blind to what was going on.

91裸聊视频淚 look around now and it91裸聊视频檚 the same thing. The rhetoric is the same. I am amazed at the apathy in society in general.91裸聊视频�

Crawford said it91裸聊视频檚 incredible how successful the current U.S. administration and our former administration here in Canada have used race as a political tool to not only divide people nation but to unite their parties.

91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 think we got here by mistake,91裸聊视频� said Crawford. Some, he questioned, might suggest the current atmosphere has given racism a free licence to come out into the open.

91裸聊视频淚 think if there is going to be had, I think it is going to come from the artists,91裸聊视频� said Crawford, noting that a number of musicians are already pushing back. 91裸聊视频淐ultural change has always been led by the artists throughout history. But I feel we have become far too complacent in our society.91裸聊视频�

Like the gallery91裸聊视频檚 recent show Ipseity, which explored gender identity and sexuality, Crawford hopes the eRacism show gets people talking.

91裸聊视频淚 hope it maybe mobilizes the arts community. I would like to think that artists feel they have a voice, a vehicle and a tool that they can use to have us look at ourselves, to hold a mirror up to society,91裸聊视频� said Crawford. 91裸聊视频淚 hope we can get back to that, we should all have an opportunity everyday to question.91裸聊视频�

The Penticton Art Gallery is inviting artists from across the globe to submit artworks in all media for eRacism July 6 and continues through Sept. 16

This exhibition is open to all artists working in any media and submissions will be juried based on the work but more importantly on the artist91裸聊视频檚 statement which will add further depth to the work and the community conversation. In addition to the physical exhibition, the Penticton Art Gallery create a virtual exhibition through our website that will remain as a permanent reminder of this exhibition.

Please send your submissions and proposals (including a photo or media file of the work, your artist statement and current biography and C.V.) by Friday, June 15 to curator@pentictonartgallery.com. Selected works are to be shipped to the Penticton Art Gallery by Friday, June 29.