In Case You Forgot presents a collection of assemblage and mixed media works by artist Kim Joris. Using reclaimed materials and simple civic language, the exhibition reflects on shared values such as community, responsibility, compassion, and participation. Words and objects come together to create pieces that are both direct and layered, inviting viewers to pause and consider what these ideals mean in everyday life.

Joris is a lifelong southerner who grew up in Georgia with New York parents. A former police officer with a degree in Justice and Policy Studies from a Quaker college, she came to understand early that justice and the law are not always the same. That experience shaped both her worldview and her art. Her path to assemblage began in Brasstown, North Carolina, where she participated in regional art festivals and taught repurposed art at the John C. Campbell Folk School. She later worked as a visiting artist in schools across western North Carolina and Georgia, using art to help students explore issues of bullying, inclusion, citizenship, and community.

In these works, everyday materials carry symbolic meaning. Flat head nails become signs of strength. Hinge pins rise as fists of power. Jewelry fragments shine as stars or torches of liberty. Words are reduced to their essentials, offering reminders that values such as loving your neighbor, feeding the hungry, and welcoming strangers require action as well as belief. Each piece develops slowly as the artist researches, experiments, and arranges materials until the idea settles into form.

Joris currently lives in Monticello, Georgia, where she works in her backyard art shed or at her grandparents’ dining room table. Her work reflects a belief that art should speak, question, and encourage dialogue. It is work made to reflect, to challenge, and to remind us of the principles we claim to share.