LAL's "Witness" Exhibition Tells Story of Domestic Violence

Exhibition at J. Allen Spa

The Department of Justice reports that one in three women will become a victim of violence at least once in her lifetime, yet the issue of violence against women is largely unacknowledged by the general public. In an effort to raise awareness and ultimately end violence based on gender, LAL presents Witness, an innovative program that culminates in an exhibition celebrated during Gallery Hop on Nov. 19.

Witness, which is sponsored in part by the University of Kentucky’s Center for Research on Violence Against Women, unites a woman who has experienced violence with a visual artist to create a piece of art that shares the woman’s story. 


Each pair works together over the course of several weeks, exchanging ideas, emotions and stories, and produces a piece of art that becomes part of the travelling exhibition.

Melody Bock Freeman & Mel Lesch Collaborate

“I wanted to tell my story, but I didn’t know how to do it in a way that would really show people what domestic violence is, what it looks like, what it feels like,” said Veronica Mitchell, one of the Witness storytellers. “Working with artist Pat Gerhard taught me how to share my experience in a way that expressed how dynamic it was and how it evolved over time. With her help, I created an altered book, and I hope when people look through it, they see that it’s not just my story. It’s the story of someone they know.”

According to the Domestic Violence Resource Center, nearly 75 percent of Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence. By creating a traveling exhibition, LAL hopes that Witness, which was produced in partnership with Kentucky Domestic Violence Association (KDVA), Bluegrass Domestic Violence Program (BDVP), Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center (BRCC), Third Street Stuff and Kentucky United Methodist Homes for Children and Youth (KUMH), will raise awareness of the issue and be one more effort that helps to end violence against women and girls.

Pat Gerhardt & Veronica Williams

“Part of LAL’s mission is to illuminate the role of visual art in contemporary life,” said Becky Alley, LAL Exhibitions and Programs Director. “By using visual art as a tool for understanding, Witness is raising awareness about an issue that affects women and girls individually and, therefore, our community