Amy Sherald and Jordan Casteel Join BAM's LET FREEDOM RING Vol. 1

Brooklyn Academy of Music presents the highly anticipated Let Freedom Ring Vol. 2, a provocative exploration of the meaning of freedom. The digital billboard-based series features artwork by established and emerging artists deeply engaged in an ongoing dialogue about the artists' role in art, social justice, equity, and inclusion. Set to coincide with Black History Month and President's Day, Let Freedom Ring Vol. 2 will run for a limited time on the BAM sign screen located at the corner of Lafayette and Flatbush Avenues, from February 12-15, 2021.

Spearheaded by BAM Curator-at-Large, Larry Ossei-Mensah, the new installment of the public art project features work from Laylah Amatullah Barrayn, Jordan Casteel, Kevin Claiborne, Lizania Cruz, Deborah Roberts, Amy Sherald, and Jasmine Wahi. The artwork chosen by each artist depicts their response to Ossei-Mensah's question: What does freedom mean to you?.

Let Freedom Ring Vol. 2 is a follow up to last month's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. tribute installation, described by The New York Times as "what freedom looks like when it undergirds the lives of Black and Latino people." The project aims to spark a continuous civic discourse in Brooklyn and encourage viewers to reflect on what freedom means in 2021.

BAM Curator-at-Large, Larry Ossei-Mensah on Let Freedom Ring Vol. 2:

"After the first project's success, I felt it necessary to continue the conversation and reflect on freedom as the nation observes President's Day and celebrates Black History Month. Working on Let Freedom Ring has been a cathartic experience growing from a desire to ponder and imagine what freedom could look like in 2021 and beyond. It's imperative that we share this thought-provoking work with the public and not relegate it to just a gallery exhibition. These are fundamental questions and concerns we all share as Americans, as human beings."

BAM Curator-at-Large, Larry Ossei-Mensah on the artists and the work:

"Naturally, as a curator, I look to artists who create work that inspires hope, proposes deep philosophical questions, and reminds us of our humanity for guidance on what is possible. I'm honored that these seven artists accepted my invitation and responded in a variety of ways. I was thrilled to see each artists' perspective on freedom-from self-reflection, joy, and a reintroduction to Dr. King's fight for economic justice with the Freedom Budget document."