Terrance Cummings’ 'Art for Change'

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It – Terence Cummings’ 'Art for Change'

Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Guest: Terence Cummings, Artist
Date: January 21, 2026

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Overview

In this episode, Alison Stewart welcomes back Terence Cummings, a New Jersey-based artist with roots in Birmingham, Alabama, to discuss his latest solo exhibit "Art for Change" at the Arts Council of Princeton. The exhibition comprises 15 new print works addressing urgent social issues—ICE arrests, civil rights, mass incarceration—and explores how art can serve as a catalyst for social change. The conversation spans Cummings’ inspirations, the intention behind specific artworks, his process, and the impact he hopes to achieve, both as an artist and educator.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Role of Art in Social Change

• Bearing Witness & Reflection
  • Cummings frames his artistic mission as “bearing witness” to social change and reflecting the current moment in his works.
    • “I want to exist in the moment of change and report and have it reflect in my work.” – Terence Cummings (01:21)
  • Art serves as both a mirror and a vehicle for conversation about complex societal topics.
    • “Art can be less divisive and open ourselves up to cordial kinds of discussions.” – Terence Cummings (01:56)

Detailed Exploration of Featured Works

• ‘Stronger Together’

  • Depicts men and women forming a human chain— a tribute to solidarity reminiscent of the Civil Rights movement.
    • “I wanted to encapsulate how people from all demographics, ages came together at that time to fight for civil rights not for just for one group, but for this entire nation.” – Terence Cummings (02:56)
  • Artistic technique: builds images via black line charcoal drawings, layered colors on mylar or tracing paper, and careful color specification creating unique textures and patterns.
    • “Each color is layered on another layer, either mylar or tracing paper. And I spec the colors, laying one color on top of the other, forming new colors and bringing in textures and patterns.” – Terence Cummings (03:38)
  • On artistic legacy: highlights importance of art’s life beyond creation, including licensing and financial sustainability for artists.

• ‘Clarence’

  • Portrays Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas carrying a ladder, symbolizing the use of affirmative action to ascend, yet later undermining it.
    • “He used all the mechanisms of affirmative action to get where he was…and yet he was a motivating factor in rolling back affirmative action.” – Terence Cummings (05:10)

• Untitled Work: Enslaved, Incarcerated, Deported

  • Visualizes an enslaved person, incarcerated person, and deported person forming the American flag, highlighting a continuous legacy of marginalization within U.S. history.
    • “These experiences are experiences that we have already been through and can continue to go through and succeed.” – Terence Cummings (06:38)

• ‘Born American’

  • Series of children of varying skin tones wrapped in the American flag, intended to celebrate American diversity and shared national identity.
    • “The fact that I wrapped a brown child in the flag was a kind of a hot topic in certain circles that I kind of welcomed.” – Terence Cummings (07:37)
    • “We should embrace the fact that…marginalized groups contributed greatly to this country and embrace the fact that we are all Americans.” – Terence Cummings (07:37)

Artistic Philosophy & Teaching

• Shared Humanity

  • Cummings’ works orient around a central message of unity in diversity, urging recognition of interdependence.
    • “There are just so many forces that are trying to keep us separated...We are more effective, and what makes this country great is the diversity of all of us working together for a common goal.” – Terence Cummings (08:48)

• Mentoring Young Artists

  • Students often seek advice on expressing complex concepts visually, not just technical skill.
    • “Drawing beautiful pictures is one phase…But if you can combine the fact that you can draw a beautiful picture and execute a stunning concept, then you have the full package.” – Terence Cummings (09:31)

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Notable Quotes

• “I want to exist in the moment of change and report and have it reflect in my work.”
  — Terence Cummings (01:21)

• “Art can be less divisive and open ourselves up to cordial kinds of discussions.”
  — Terence Cummings (01:56)

• “I wanted to encapsulate how people from all demographics, ages came together at that time to fight for civil rights not just for one group, but for this entire nation.”
  — Terence Cummings (02:56)

• “He used all the mechanisms of affirmative action to get where he was…and yet he was a motivating factor in rolling back affirmative action.”
  — Terence Cummings (05:10)

• “We should embrace the fact that…marginalized groups contributed greatly to this country and embrace the fact that we are all Americans.”
  — Terence Cummings (07:37)

• “What makes this country great is the diversity of all of us working together for a common goal.”
  — Terence Cummings (08:48)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:31 – 01:11: Introduction and theme of the exhibition.
• 01:21 – 01:56: Cummings on creating art for social change.
• 02:36 – 03:38: Exploration and process behind ‘Stronger Together.’
• 04:54 – 06:05: Discussion of ‘Clarence’ and themes of affirmative action.
• 06:05 – 07:13: Artworks depicting American identity and history of marginalization.
• 07:13 – 08:21: Explanation and controversy around ‘Born American.’
• 08:21 – 08:48: Thematic focus on “shared humanity.”
• 09:20 – 10:49: Insights into teaching and mentoring emerging artists.

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Conclusion

Through his exhibit "Art for Change," Terence Cummings leverages art as both testimony and provocation—capturing collective struggles and championing unity through diversity. The episode is not only an exploration of particular artworks but also a thoughtful meditation on what it means to create meaningfully, teach with intention, and foster critical conversations in American society through culture.

Transcript

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[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. We're finishing our hour spotlighting gallery shows by welcoming back Terence Cummings. Cummings is a New Jersey based artist originally from Birmingham, Alabama. You can see a new solo exhibit of his work on view at the Arts Council of Princeton at 102 Witherspoon Street. The show is called Art for Change. It features 15 new print works that focus on current social issues like ice arrest, civil rights and mass incarceration. The show is on view through February 7th and Terrence Cummings is my guest. Terrence, it's nice to see you again.

[Terence Cummings]

Yes, nice to be here again.

[Alison Stewart]

Alison, the show is called Art for Change. How specifically do you think about social change when you're in your studio?

[Terence Cummings]

Well, you know, I approach this as a moment in time where I want to bear witness. So it's kind of twofold. I want to exist in the moment of change and report and have it reflect in my work. So that's how I approach this.

[Alison Stewart]

When you think about it, I know.

[Interviewer]

This is a little bit of an.

[Alison Stewart]

Essay question, but why can art be a tool to create change?

[Terence Cummings]

Well, I think art is a vehicle where we as artists have to be not only a vessel to incite change, but also just to mirror what we are experiencing and put it on canvas in a way that groups of people can understand. I find that art is not as when we're dealing with complex topics, art can be less divisive and open ourself up to, you know, cordial kind of discussions.

[Alison Stewart]

That's interesting. The sentiment of the show can be seen in your piece Stronger Together. It and I'll ask you to help me describe it, but it's men and women, they're sort of arm in, arm crossed, almost like forming a. A human chain.

[Terence Cummings]

Yes.

[Alison Stewart]

How did you get the idea for this piece?

[Terence Cummings]

Well, back in the 60s, during the Civil rights movement, this was a vehicle for unifying one another during the struggle. So I had to just, I wanted to come up with a way of encapsulating how people from all demographics, ages came together at that time to fight for civil rights not for just for one group, but for this entire nation.

[Alison Stewart]

And when you looked at the painting, when you Finished it. What did it mean to you?

[Terence Cummings]

Well, you know, as I had, I think during our last discussion, I went through several rounds of concepts and sketches before I even approached going to the final. You know, as I mentioned before, I kind of start off with a black line charcoal drawing, and each color is layered on another layer, either mylar or tracing paper. And I spec the colors, laying one color on top of the other, forming new colors and bringing in textures and patterns. So in my process, I knew I had something good once I knew that I had finished the initial concept, the sketch, and then from there, what winds up happening is it winds up being licensed by other entities. And it's important for me to. And other artists to understand that. Well, I help with some of the students that I work with, I help them understand that art should exist beyond that creation. You should be able to make money from the piece that you've created.

[Interviewer]

There's another piece in this show called Clarence. It depicts Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and he's walking with a ladder. Why did you feel moved to make this piece?

[Terence Cummings]

Well, I wanted to. I wanted to highlight the hypocrisy, if that's the right word or term of it, that he. For me, Clarence used all the mechanisms of affirmative action to get where he was and the opportunities utilized to become a Supreme Court justice. And the fact that he is still only one African American male that's on that, on the justice in the justice seat, and yet he is. Was a motivating factor in rolling back affirmative faction.

[Interviewer]

My guest is New Jersey based artist Terence Cummings. We're discussing his exhibit Art for Change, on view at the Art Council of Princeton through February 7th. There's a trip taken, the show of an enslaved person, an incarcerated person, and a deported person, all placed within the American flag. They actually, they make up the American flag. What do you hope viewers feel or see more feel about American history by looking at the images presented side by side?

[Terence Cummings]

Yeah, this piece for me is a. Is a reminder of the experiences that marginalized groups have gone through. And it's just kind of put. Put things in perspective, even though that these are challenging times that we're going through now. I just wanted to remind my viewer that these experiences are experiences that we have already been through and can continue to go through and, and, and succeed.

[Interviewer]

There's another one called Born American. Would you describe it for us?

[Terence Cummings]

Yeah, I described this piece as a series of children of different shades wrapped in the American flag. And surprisingly enough, with this piece, I was surprised that I got some pushback from this.

[Interviewer]

Really?

[Terence Cummings]

Yeah. That kind of surprised me. The fact that that I wrapped a brown child in the flag was a kind of a hot topic in certain circles that I kind of welcomed. And my position is that. We should embrace the fact that we different groups and marginalized groups contributed greatly to this country and embrace the fact that we are all Americans.

[Interviewer]

It's interesting. That leads me to a part of your description on your website where you write that the essence of your art is always revolves around our shared humanity. Why do you focus or why do you keep in your mind shared humanity when you're working?

[Terence Cummings]

Well, mainly because that there are just so many forces that are trying to keep us separated. And it's important that we kind of remind ourselves that, you know, just like the piece that I had done stronger together is that we are more effective. And what makes this country great is the diversity of all of us working together for a common goal. That's always been the case in America.

[Interviewer]

You mentioned earlier that you teach students. What do students want to know these days?

[Terence Cummings]

Well, that's a good question. I get life's life's question. Life. Life questions the. But more importantly that how to. How to effectively convey their concepts in visual terms. I find that it is, I think, more challenging for young artists to execute conceptual work and put it on paper or canvas rather than coming up with images that they would draw, let's say, from a photograph. I mean, I think that drawing beautiful pictures is one. One phase of it, one phase of creating great work. But if you can combine the fact that you can draw a beautiful picture and execute a stunning concept, then you have the full package.

[Interviewer]

The name of the show is Art for Change. It's on view at Art Council of Princeton through February 7th. My guest has been Terrence Cummings. Terrence, thank you so much for sharing some time with us.

[Terence Cummings]

Thank you very much, Alice, for having me. It's been a pleasure.

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