Inside ‘Doomscroll’: A New Exhibit Where Artists Air Their Anxieties

By Krystala Allen, Arts Angle Reporter

Liberty High School, Class of 2027

Morning doomscrolling. Searching for headlines. Many of us have all fallen victim to the trap of the blue light as it sucks us into a world on fire. Artists in a new show in Louisville called “Doomscroll” are using their art as a way for the community to process what we’re seeing, on the screen and off.

Artist Jessica Cipriani’s work ““Just Keep Scrolling,” part of the new exhibit “Doomscroll: A Group Art Show About Resistance, Grief and Resilience” at Louisville's Grady Goods Artpunk Gallery. Photo by Krystala Allen, Arts Angle Newsroom.

Grady Goods Artpunk Gallery’s new exhibit features art work that depict how politics impact local communities. In one piece titled “Judgement Day,” Jeffrey Epstein drags Donald Trump to hell. In another, a doe lies in a patch of gray with text along the side: “You will not kill my softness.” This is the work’s title. These two different works in this show opposite sides of the spectrum.

Gallery owner Jae Grady sees “Doomscroll: A Group Art Show About Resistance, Grief and Resilience” as an unofficial follow up to a 2024 exhibit he participated in at Aurora Gallery and Boutique. That show, he said, shifted the focus toward how current events affect local communities.

“It was healing,” Grady said. “It was such a powerful show that we thought, wouldn't it be fun if we did a second version of that show here.”

With nearly 100 participating artists, “Doomscroll” marks one of the gallery's largest exhibitions. Its opening is 6 to 10 p.m., April 3 and the exhibit runs from through May 3.

Artist Kim Gillespie's work “You will not kill my softness.” part of the new exhibit “Doomscroll: A Group Art Show About Resistance, Grief and Resilience” at Louisville's Grady Goods Artpunk Gallery. Photo by Krystala Allen, Arts Angle Newsroom.

For Grady, constant exposure to bad news and nonstop doomscrolling made one thing clear: artists needed a space to respond freely.

“People stay engaged when they're pissed off,” he said. “Which is what I love about an open-community show like this. It’s very cathartic,” he said.

The art reflects diverse experiences — from immigrant stories to generational histories.

Alexandra Rumsey is the exhibit’s co-curator.

“I hope [the] artwork makes people feel something," Rumsey said, “no matter what — political or not.”

Some artists draw directly from world events and reflect it in their work. Art and politics have always been intertwined and often given voices to those who cannot always safely vocalize their opinions. While inviting people to feel something, the show also helps viewers recognize they are not alone in any collective grief they are experiencing.

Scrolling through social media and many posts refer to a common source of that grief: videos of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Their actions have sparked strong reactions, and become part of the bigger conversation around immigration. These videos have drawn attention to the political issues that artists in “Doomscrool” address in their art.

Artist Olivia Bunger’s work “(expletive) ICE,” part of the new exhibit “Doomscroll: A Group Art Show About Resistance, Grief and Resilience” at Louisville's Grady Goods Artpunk Gallery. Photo by Krystala Allen, Arts Angle Newsroom.

References to these events show up in artist Olivia Bunger’s work. Born and raised in Louisville, Bunger has created art since she was a child and describes herself as a found-collage artist who uses repurposed materials.

The moment Bunger saw ICE entering people’s homes and violating their rights, she knew she had to make her feelings physical. In a piece called "[expletive] ICE,” Bunger uses a bag of ice as the canvas. She pulls from recycled materials — anything she can find, even old magazines. The piece depicts the President as a clown and incorporates text scribbled by hand that reads, “Surveillance = Undertones.” It expresses her anger toward ICE through the layered imagery. Bunger uses blues to represent people’s tears, contrasted with dark reds symbolizing blood and frustration.

“It’s also an act of resistance, using joy to fight this all-encompassing, overwhelming hellscape we’re in,” Bunger said.

While Bunger channels her anger into her layered art, Jessica Cipriani’s piece reflects on the apathy she sees around her. Her piece titled “Just Keep Scrolling,” painted in vibrant acrylics, shows fire raging outside a train car filled with people of different races and religions indicated by their attire. Inside, figures stare at their phones, detached from the chaos around them. Muted grays and blues create a sense of disconnection in an image of the world burning where no one notices. In 2009, Cipriani moved from California to Louisville. She said her work reflects what she's seen over time, with class disparities and capitalism standing out as the issues she believes people need to be aware of. She uses art as an outlet to process the apathy she sees around her.

Artist Grant Goodwine’s work “Judgement Day,” part of the new exhibit “Doomscroll: A Group Art Show About Resistance, Grief and Resilience” at Louisville's Grady Goods Artpunk Gallery. Photo by Krystala Allen, Arts Angle Newsroom.

“That's literally what I was seeing every day is just people walking around like zombies staring at their phones,” Cipriani said, “while I feel like everything around us is burning."

The contrasts between Cipriani and Bunger’s art are representative of our own diverse reactions in times of trial and tribulation.

Another perspective of today’s struggles comes from artist Kim Gillespie. She painted her art on a heart-shaped wood panel using soft purples and earthy browns featuring branches and moths in the background. A doe lies on a gray patch, a blue ribbon around its neck with printed words extolling, “You will not kill my softness.” The colors and composition convey quiet defiance, resilience and hope in the face of struggle. Gillespie, born and raised in Louisville, creates art that offers a softer response to today’s harsh political climate. Through her work, she encourages people to hold on to their compassion, even in the face of anger and suffering.

“We have to hold on to that piece of ourselves that lets us be that kind human that cares about one another,” Gillespie said.

Her hopeful outlook paints a softer picture next to some of the more pessimistic pieces.

Grady Goods Artpunk Gallery on Louisville's Barret Avenue, where the exhibit “Doomscroll: A Group Art Show About Resistance, Grief and Resilience” is showing this month. Photo by Krystala Allen, Arts Angle Newsroom.

Another take on handling these tumultuous times comes from artist Grant Goodwine, who moved to Louisville from rural Illinois in 2018. His art, like his piece in the exhibit’s “Judgement Day,” tackles politics with pessimistic satire that can make you laugh. His wit turns serious issues into entertainment, while still providing insightful commentary into the country’s challenges. Inspired by the release of the Epstein files and fueled by his frustration with political hypocrisy, Goodwine channels his anger into what he defines as therapeutic art.

“I try to direct a punch,” Goodwine said, “and I hope you get a laugh out of it and find unity in the community that also sees the ridiculousness of everything.”

“Doomscroll” shows that outrage, sorrow, and resilience aren’t purely individual. The combination of optimism and pessimism in the exhibit creates a satiric and serious tone that reverberates throughout. Whether it's expressed through Cipriani’s depiction of apathy, Gillespie's quiet defiance, Bunger’s fiery resistance, or Goodwine’s sharp humor, these voices can ripple through communities and spark dialogue, reflection and connection.

Communities across America are feeling these kinds of stories, not just Louisville. With themes of injustice, grief, and hope, “Doomscroll” highlights how art can unite people across different experiences, spark conversations and inspire change.

"Doomscroll: A Group Art Show About Resistance, Grief and Resilience"

Grady Goods Artpunk Gallery

976 Barret Ave.

Opening Reception: Friday April 3, 6 to 10 p.m.

Exhibit: April 3 to May 3