The “I’m Tired” Project uses the backs of individuals as a canvas to exhibit what each model is ‘tired’ of and therefore highlight microaggressions, which are also referred to as ‘death by a thousand cuts’. Paula Akpan and Harriet Evans, former students of the University of Nottingham, began the project in 2015 following the decision that they wanted to do something that ‘made a difference’, and thus it was born, quickly gaining immense momentum and being picked up by the likes of Buzzfeed, Huffington Post and the New York Times.
The exhibition itself took place on the 13th of March in Trent building’s own Performing Art’s Studio, an apt spot for alumni. On various walls were images taken of black, white, Asian, straight, homosexual, bisexual and transsexual individuals (to name a few), each with a statement beginning ‘I’m tired’ on their back. Next to each portrait,was a short essay, again stating what they were tired of, and further discussing their reasons for choosing this particular microaggression. One of the aims of the exhibition was to express that even if you thought you were the only one experiencing an issue, there is a good chance that you’re not, and I think this project effectively and respectfully showed this through its inclusion of such different race types, body types, and sexual orientations.
There was also a short talk by the two creators, Paula and Harriet, which showed them to be highly intelligent and educated women. They discussed the difficulties that came with running such a liberal project online, where Nazi groups often shared and ridiculed the images, and rude comments were unstoppable. They also spoke about the necessity of being an ‘ally’ of different communities without being too assuming, and offered the audience the opportunities to pose ourselves for the project, as a photo shoot was taking place the next day.
The exhibition not only promoted inclusivity, but also told the story of two graduates that unexpectedly achieved something successful and inspirational. I would give this exhibition 5 stars, and would recommend attending another of their exhibitions if the opportunity arises!
The I’m Tired Project: https://theimtiredproject.com/
Edited by: Jessica Greaney
Sources: Authors own