Niki Johnson's 'Pillars of Democracy' opens at The Contemporary Dayton in 2026

Niki Johnson: Pillars of Democracy, an exhibition by Milwaukee artist Niki Johnson, will be showcased at The Contemporary Dayton. This event, focusing on civic engagement, collective action, and the lasting significance of voting, is set to commence on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. A public reception will take place from 6–8 pm, with an artist talk scheduled for 6:30 pm. The exhibition features a significant series of four collaged portraits representing Liberty, Justice, Freedom, and Forward progress, depicted as first-time voters from Milwaukee. Utilizing discarded stencil paper and leftover spray paint from Shepard Fairey’s 2020 mural, the series reflects over a century of voting rights activism and draws inspiration from Bertha Boyd’s 1911 suffrage poster, Votes for Women.