Photo by Linda Dallas | Pictured, left to right: Artwork by Akira Dudley, Dare Coulter and Victor Knight at the Saint Agnes site on the campus of Saint Augustine’s University.

Reflecting Through Art

In Buzz, December 2020 / January 2021, Web Exclusive by Lauren KruchtenLeave a Comment

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WEB EXCLUSIVE Back in May, after a night of peaceful protesting followed by riots and looting forced downtown business owners in both Raleigh and Durham to board up their storefronts in fear of possible damage, talented artists set out to beautify the city in the best way they knew how—by creating colorful murals with powerful words and inspiring messages. Now, seven months later, Raleigh Arts has partnered with Saint Augustine’s University, Envision Saint Agnes, the Black On Black Project, Shaw University, Raleigh Murals Project, VAE Raleigh, the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, Anchorlight and the community to display these murals in an ongoing exhibition.

The first exhibition, called “A Space For Reflection”, will be on display at Saint Augustine’s University and Shaw University through December 20. At both locations, the murals will be displayed on shipping containers, making it easy to see them from the road or sidewalks without having to actually enter the campuses, though the public is invited to view them more closely during daylight hours.

“This exhibition merges creativity with the fight for social justice, two attributes that can be clearly seen throughout history of both of these institutions,” said Linda Dallas, one of the curators of the exhibition.

Pictured, left to right: Artwork by Gemynii and Sarahlaine at the Saint Agnes site on the campus of Saint Augustine’s University.

“A Space for Reflection” highlights Black artists and artists of color who responded to the events in May with their artwork, including Dare Coulter, Bobby Danger, Akira Dudley, Gemynii, Okirah Harris, Grayson M. Howell, Shaun Knight, Victor Knight, Lord PHLY, Sarahlaine Calva and Wel Sed.

“‘A Space for Reflection’ is exactly what the title alludes to: a reflection of our times,” said Michael S. Williams, another curator of the exhibition. “This is something art has done for centuries, and artists in the Triangle have done a great job of documenting what’s been happening in 2020. In addition to that, the artists in this outdoor installation are asking that we create a more equitable world so the atrocities addressed in the artwork will be less frequent. We appreciate them lending their voice to this project.”

To learn more about the artists in the exhibition, see maps of the outdoor installations on Saint Augustine’s University’s and Shaw University’s campuses and watch a curated conversation on how art is a catalyst for change, visit blackonblackproject.com/black-on-black-project-space-for-reflection.

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