After the devastating terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in 2001, Robert Shetterly felt a personal responsibility to report the truth.

Seventeen years later, Shetterly has painted more than 200 portraits in his “Americans Who Tell the Truth” series, which portrays social justice advocates from around the country.

For the first time, all 238 portraits will be displayed from Nov. 29 to Dec. 14 at Syracuse University’s Schine Student Center. Shetterly will also be giving a lecture on “Americans Who Tell the Truth” as a part of the SU fall 2018 University Lecture Series on Thursday in Crouse College at 7:30 p.m.

“I didn’t know if I would ever see it all in one place,” said Shetterly, who said he’s grateful to SU for the opportunity.

Shetterly graduated from Harvard College in 1969 with a degree in English literature. After taking a drawing class, he discovered he was “more interested in the kind of ambiguity and presence of the visual image rather than the written word.”

After college, Shetterly moved to Maine to live in the woods without electricity, where he taught himself how to draw, make prints and paint. He illustrated for magazines and newspapers before working on independent pieces, such as his three-year project based on William Blake’s “Proverbs of Hell” and his 70-piece project based on ideas of “The Annunciation.”

Shetterly values how art requires a significant time commitment because of how he can deeply expand on a concept within a piece. He’s “addicted to that process of discovery,” he said, as art prioritizes the “hunger to go deeper into life.”

Shetterly’s values of art are distinguished through his “Americans Who Tell the Truth” series. Committing to the education and voice of young people, Shetterly has painted historical American icons like Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony, along with many contemporary figures such as Tarana Burke. He said every figure relates “to the struggle to make the ideals of our country from our declaration, our constitution, real for everybody.”

Joining Shetterly for his lecture will be two individuals whom he painted, Richard Bowen and Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha.

Bowen, a professor at the University of Texas, Dallas, was formerly a senior vice president at Citigroup. He acted as a whistleblower to Citigroup’s defective mortgage sales for years, even testifying before the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission when Citigroup employees weren’t being held accountable.

“There were coverups in all links of the government,” said Bowen.

Hanna-Attisha is a professor and pediatrician within Michigan State University and Hurley Children’s Hospital. She was heavily involved with the Flint Water Crisis, acting as a whistleblower like Bowen.

Hanna-Attisha worked against the state’s efforts to call to attention the lead levels within Flint’s water system that was risking children’s lives. As director of the Pediatric Public Health Initiative, she is an activist for children’s health who suffer from harsh living conditions.

Bowen and Hanna-Attisha were chosen by Shetterly for their continuous efforts of social justice advocacy. Both said they admire Shetterly’s work and were honored to be chosen as subjects for his project.

“I feel like you could see kind of the weight of the children on my shoulders,” Hanna-Attisha said, remembering when she saw her portrait for the first time.

Bowen said the portraits are meant to encourage young people to speak out against injustices they see.

“His work is magnificent and it really has been a way to highlight so many incredible people in the country who have made a difference,” Hanna-Attisha said. “It’s so important that we teach lessons and provide role models to younger people.”

“Americans Who Tell the Truth” advocates for the idea that we are all on a “common journey,” Shetterly said. “History isn’t healed until we all begin to tell something of the same story.”

Shetterly’s portraits encourage young people to channel their passion and courage to help create change, as they move forward.

“What this exhibit shows is their own history that has given them the things that this country promised to give them but didn’t,” Shetterly said.

Published on November 28, 2018 at 11:25 pm