A wall in the Fan, and a global message of hope

Two people affix a poster to a brick wall — Rob Carter and Ashley Kistler at the Hope Wall outside Kistler’s studio in the Fan. (Photo by Brian Palmer)

Feb. 10, 2021

A wall in the Fan, and a global message of hope

A trio of former VCU School of the Arts colleagues have turned a brick wall in Richmond into a rotating exhibit of posters from artists around the world.

John Malinoski, Rob Carter and Ashley Kistler have worked on numerous projects together. The former Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts colleagues — Malinoski and Carter are retired professors while Kistler is the former director of the Anderson Gallery — have collaborated on work, books and exhibitions.

Their latest project involves a brick wall in the Fan — just outside Kistler’s studio, at the corner of Shields and Grove avenues — where they’re hoping to create space for hope in challenging times. Every three weeks or so, Malinoski, Carter and Kistler cover the bricks with a series of nine posters from artists around the globe. Each poster represents the artist’s response to or perspective on the word “hope.”

This Hope Wall, which started more than a year ago, has now played host to work from 57 artists. Writer Kim Catley explores the project further — in words and photos — in a story published by the School of the Arts.

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