Common Ground: Portfolio of Relief Prints by Artists from Mexico (Oaxaca), the United States (Cincinnati), India, the Czech Republic, and Kenya started as a project of SOS ART in collaboration with Taller Burro Press (Oaxaca, Mexico). It consisted of a collection of twenty-five relief prints by twenty-five artists, twelve from Oaxaca and thirteen from Cincinnati.  Each artist from each country addressed one of the following twelve human rights: Health, Nonviolence, Freedom, Home, Environment, Equality, Nondiscrimination, Justice, Work, Education, Free Choice, and Democracy. The thirteenth artist from Cincinnati created the Title page for the first series.

The initial purpose of the project was to challenge the invited artists to create art around human rights through a personal, yet collaborative, process between the United States and Mexico. The project was in line with SOS ART's mission to encourage the artist's voice for peace, justice, and a better world.  

Due to the success of the project and the meaningful intercultural exchange it created, SOS ART decided to expand the project to other countries with which it collaborates, namely India, the Czech Republic, and Kenya. Thirteen artists from each of these three countries were invited to participate. As in the first series, twelve created a print on one of the twelve human rights, and the thirteenth created the Title page. The addition of artists from these countries has widened the intercultural exchange, thus providing five different cultural, social, and political perspectives for each human right considered. SOS ART is planning to continue expanding the portfolio and the intercultural dialogue it generates, with the hope to bring more diversity to each human right addressed. 

SOS ART would like to thank and acknowledge all the participating artists from Oaxaca, Cincinnati, India, the Czech Republic, and Kenya who are a part of this exhibition; Ivan Bautista, Prof. Anant Nikam, Magdalena Vovsova, and James Mweu, who were instrumental in coordinating the projects respectively in Oaxaca, India, Czechia, and Kenya; and Shawnee Turner, Stephanie Lampkin, PhD., and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center for generously providing a supportive venue for exhibiting the expanded portfolio and sharing it with Cincinnati’s residents.