Curatorial Statement

See Our Voice is a community-led showcase featuring the images and narratives of residents from four neighborhoods in Southwest Atlanta. Using disposable cameras and cell phones, participants from zip codes 30310 and 30314 spent last summer documenting the strengths, challenges, and aspirations that shape their communities.

Rooted in reflection and the possibilities for upward mobility, this photovoice project invited residents to capture what matters most — the places, people, and stories that define their neighborhoods.

Culminating in a public exhibition, See Our Voice brings residents and community leaders together in dialogue about community impact and shared visions for the future — guided by the belief that community voices can create change.

Artist + Advocate

Biography

Krystle Chanel is an Atlanta-based artist and social practitioner whose work bridges art, community health, and social impact. Through photography and film, she engages communities to explore how the social determinants of health, as well as the natural and built environment, shape daily life. Her layered visual narratives highlight neighborhood strengths, environmental concerns, and community stories.

“See Our Voice was a dream project for me. Seeing it come together reminded me why social impact work is so important. The connectivity and vibrancy of the Southwest Atlanta communities I worked with are unmatched. I feel even more compelled to shine whatever light I can on them.”
— Krystle Chanel

Past Exhibitions

See Our Voice | The B Complex (2024) Thirty Summers | Atlanta Contemporary (2024) Resilient Earth | Science Gallery Atlanta (2024)

Awards

NEXUS Fund Recipient | Andy Warhol Foundation for the Arts Regional Regranting Program (2024) Science Gallery Atlanta grant awardee (2024)

Krystle Chanel, MPH

LinkedIn

Education

Arcadia University

Master of Public Health | Community Health (2011)

Bachelor of Arts | Biology (2008)

Work

Data Management Coordinator, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (2015-2017)

Sr. Research Interviewer, Emory University (2013 -2015)

Research Assistant, University of Pennsylvania (2010 - 2011)

Co-Facilitators

Aireus Robinson

Chance Whisby

Design Statement

AK (akart)

See Our Voice, Digital, 2024

The intent aims to translate societal issues through the lens of Southwest Atlanta residents, transforming their photographs into graphic illustrations that narrate a compelling story. Each project provided an opportunity to reflect on and interpret the lived conditions of these individuals.

By merging the residents' experiences and emotions through change, pain, joy, struggle, and triumph—I sought to capture the complexity of their lives through digital collaging. This process is similar to maintaining a daily art diary, offering a platform for revealing emotional states and exploring personal beliefs in a visual form, free from the constraints of verbal communication.