Artist comes to CMU to speak about reproductive freedom, display art

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Abortion and reproductive freedom are often touchy subjects, but artist Heather Ault does not shy away from it.

Ault spoke in the Bovee University Center Auditorium Tuesday night as part of the art department’s Barstow Lecture Series.

Originally from the Detroit area, Ault’s latest project “4,000 years for choice” takes her to different Planned Parenthood clinics and using art as a way of providing positive messages to the pro-choice audience.

“She wishes to change the reproductive rights narrative through creative strategies,” Assistant Professor of photography Missa Coffman said.

Ault was chosen as part of the department of art’s sixth annual Barstow Lecture series after Coffman saw her artwork in the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art in Grand Rapids.

According to CMU Art Gallery Director Anne Gochenour, the Barstow Lecture series was created to bring artists and speakers to campus. It is made possible by the donation from Midland architect Stephen L. Barstow who gave his entire estate to CMU’s department of art after passing in 1992.

“I think the lecture series shines light on the art department,” Howell junior Allie Russell said. “I like the fact they brought a lot of different artists instead of just one specific person.”

Ault, who had an abortion of her own, focuses her art work around answering what abortion is.

“I respond to things around me from my personal experiences and professional journeys,” Ault said.

In response to the harsh images that most abortion protest groups use, Ault developed an “Ancient Choices” poster series. Each poster displays a historic image informing people of ways people used to perform abortions.

Her first show at Gallery Project in Ann Arbor transitioned Ault from being a graphic designer to a fine art artist.

“Her work has a good message and one that is accessible,” Coffman said. “She is interested in promoting a dialogue rather than polarizing.”

Russell came to learn more about Ault since she is majoring in art.

“I first heard about her from my typography teacher, but I came because she does graphic design work which is what I kind of want to go into,” Russell said.

Ault’s advice for aspiring young artists is to go with their passions.

“The more dialogue, the better,” Ault said. “No matter what side you may be on, creating visual ideas on your own is a fun way to communicate.”

To learn more about Ault’s art work and activism, visit www.heatherault.com.

The art department next welcomes Massachusetts College of Art’s Professor of Design Chaz Maviyane-Davies March 28 in the Education and Human Service’s French Auditorium.