Amplifying Human Stories through Public Art
Artist and Fulbright Hungary alum Isaac Campbell (’18 Fortepan / Museum of Ethnography) uses wheat paste murals to advocate for Americans held hostage and wrongfully detained abroad.
In 2022, his mural in Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood received world-wide media coverage for the Bring Our Families Home Campaign, a group of families advocating for the safe return of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad. The mural featured photographs of their loved ones, many of which were the last photographs taken of them before their captivity.
Wheat paste is not a permanent material. Time and the elements cause pieces of the murals to fade, rip, and deteriorate. This is intentional, to serve as a reminder that over time, these Americans, and their families, are deteriorating. The first mural was removed due to decay, but was refreshed on July 16, 2024. The family-led BOFH Campaign is supported by the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation that also serves as its fiscal sponsor.
“My Fulbright experience in Hungary laid the groundwork for this project. I am truly grateful for the Fulbright program – it changed the trajectory of my entire life. Without that experience, this mural would have never happened.”
As of now, 15 of the 19 people from the original mural have been released. #BringThemHome