Art is Family, Art Creates Change: LaToya Ruby Frazier’s Work on Water
Presentation Type
Presentation
Start Date
8-3-2025 6:00 AM
Description
Brittany Kogut, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, U.S.A.
Art is Family, Art Creates Change: LaToya Ruby Frazier’s Work on Water
LaToya Ruby Frazier is an African American photographer from Pennsylvania who produces visually engaging work, while also addressing poignant social issues. In her photo essay, Flint is Family, Frazier captures the struggle, the humanity, and a community’s embrace of each other during this man-made crisis on American soil using photography. Frazier fully integrated herself in the lives of Flint residents and was able to aid in making a difference on the ground in Michigan. Frazier, with the help of two local artists, Shea Cobb and Amber Hasan, the brilliant mind of inventor Moses West, and the support from the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, brought the beginnings of hope and change for the people of Flint. Frazier utilizes her unique skill set in photography to create impactful protest art by intensely focusing her efforts on community, family, and innovation, while creating a mutually dedicated safe space for her subjects to express themselves.
In this paper, I am interested in exploring the deep connections art can have on affecting change in a community, specifically in Frazier's Flint is Family work and how a single artist's influence inspires acts of creativity around her. I want to emphasize the significance of art as an act of protest and how art opens up communication that may not be previously opened without the work of artists. For example, a poster stating ""Water is Life"" has a very different impact than a 30-foot billboard photograph with the words ""Water is Life"" written in water bottles. Art's presence is undeniable and so is its ability to speak volumes. Researching an artist who is actively working and speaking on her projects and experiences is the main method of investigation for this paper. She is underrepresented, but is not the only black female artist creating change through her art.
Brittany Kogut is a post-baccalaureate student, majoring in art history with a double minor in gender studies and Middle Eastern studies. Her professional goal is to become a Women’s and Gender Studies professor with a specialty in the Middle East, sound knowledge of intersectionality, and how art contributes to these delicate conversations. She will be attending a master's and PhD program after graduation. Brittany has had what one would call an adventurous life. She was a competitive gymnast on the path to the Olympics and a collegiate cheerleader at the University of Kentucky and the University of Arkansas. She then fulfilled the dream of working as a sports reporter. She earned a highly competitive internship at ESPN and achieved this feat through hard work and determination. Through injuries, setbacks, and personal hurdles, Brittany persevered and never gave up on herself and her future. She re-enrolled in college at 37 years old to fight for a better life. She has tirelessly networked at the University of Arkansas Little Rock’s campus while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. She has earned teaching assistant and tutoring positions due to her commitment and abilities, along with multiple scholarships.
Relational Format
Conference proceeding
Recommended Citation
Kogut, Brittany, "Art is Family, Art Creates Change: LaToya Ruby Frazier’s Work on Water" (2025). Women of Photography: A 24-Hour Conference-a-thon Celebrating International Women’s Day 2025. 19.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/womenofphotography/2025/schedule/19
Art is Family, Art Creates Change: LaToya Ruby Frazier’s Work on Water
Brittany Kogut, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, U.S.A.
Art is Family, Art Creates Change: LaToya Ruby Frazier’s Work on Water
LaToya Ruby Frazier is an African American photographer from Pennsylvania who produces visually engaging work, while also addressing poignant social issues. In her photo essay, Flint is Family, Frazier captures the struggle, the humanity, and a community’s embrace of each other during this man-made crisis on American soil using photography. Frazier fully integrated herself in the lives of Flint residents and was able to aid in making a difference on the ground in Michigan. Frazier, with the help of two local artists, Shea Cobb and Amber Hasan, the brilliant mind of inventor Moses West, and the support from the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, brought the beginnings of hope and change for the people of Flint. Frazier utilizes her unique skill set in photography to create impactful protest art by intensely focusing her efforts on community, family, and innovation, while creating a mutually dedicated safe space for her subjects to express themselves.
In this paper, I am interested in exploring the deep connections art can have on affecting change in a community, specifically in Frazier's Flint is Family work and how a single artist's influence inspires acts of creativity around her. I want to emphasize the significance of art as an act of protest and how art opens up communication that may not be previously opened without the work of artists. For example, a poster stating ""Water is Life"" has a very different impact than a 30-foot billboard photograph with the words ""Water is Life"" written in water bottles. Art's presence is undeniable and so is its ability to speak volumes. Researching an artist who is actively working and speaking on her projects and experiences is the main method of investigation for this paper. She is underrepresented, but is not the only black female artist creating change through her art.
Brittany Kogut is a post-baccalaureate student, majoring in art history with a double minor in gender studies and Middle Eastern studies. Her professional goal is to become a Women’s and Gender Studies professor with a specialty in the Middle East, sound knowledge of intersectionality, and how art contributes to these delicate conversations. She will be attending a master's and PhD program after graduation. Brittany has had what one would call an adventurous life. She was a competitive gymnast on the path to the Olympics and a collegiate cheerleader at the University of Kentucky and the University of Arkansas. She then fulfilled the dream of working as a sports reporter. She earned a highly competitive internship at ESPN and achieved this feat through hard work and determination. Through injuries, setbacks, and personal hurdles, Brittany persevered and never gave up on herself and her future. She re-enrolled in college at 37 years old to fight for a better life. She has tirelessly networked at the University of Arkansas Little Rock’s campus while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. She has earned teaching assistant and tutoring positions due to her commitment and abilities, along with multiple scholarships.
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