Civil Rights Exhibit: February 2020
Exhibit Featured Works by African American and African Diasporic Artists Focused on the Black Experience in U.S.
Inspired by TSTI’s Civil Rights trip down South in 2019, the Civil Rights show explored concepts of America’s civil rights history and the black experience in this country as interpreted by African American and African diasporic artists.
Richard Koch, TSTI-member and chair of the Art Committee, shared that the purpose of the exhibit was to showcase how African Americans experienced the civil rights struggle in the U.S. The Committee’s goal was to stimulate thought and discussion, as well as greater appreciation by visitors of the difficulties people of color still face in America today.
The show featured artists from across northern New Jersey and Long Island who had up to 30 paintings, drawings and photographs on display. Among the artists were award winners whose work has been exhibited widely throughout the tri-state area:
Kathleen Celestin-Parks
Troy Jones
Jo-El Lopez
Mansa K. Mussa
Minal Parkhi
Ron Powell
Kay Reese
Akil Roper
Danielle Scott and Ameerah Shabazz
Cali Smith
The exhibit was curated by Armisey Smith, an illustrator, educator and curator who resides in Newark. Smith has had her work exhibited throughout the tri-state area and has been the lead artist on several public mural projects in New Jersey. She has a BFA in illustration from Parsons School of Design and an MPS in arts and cultural management from Pratt Institute.
Congratulations to the Art Committee for such an outstanding job bringing art into our TSTI experience.
Click here to view art from the show and here for the show legend.