Art

Two Black Artists and Their Urgent Work on Exhibit at Baltimore Museum of Art

THE AFRO — Two artists have exhibits that take on issues of violence, Black culture and identity in their own distinct ways.

Published

5 years ago

February 2, 2019

Oakland Post

By George Kevin Jordan

Two artists have exhibits that take on issues of violence, Black culture and identity in their own distinct ways at the Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Drive, Baltimore, MD.

Mark Bradford most known for his large abstract pieces brings forth a body of work that infuses Greek mythology, poetry, hair salons and questions of identity.

“‘Tomorrow Is Another Day’ recycles ordinary materials in an homage to a shared American experience, recalling memories of his mother’s hair salon or the streets of Los Angeles,” according to the description of the exhibit.

When you first enter the exhibit space you are confronted with “Spoiled Feet” a collage installment that literally takes up the entire room. Its vibrant colors are only outmatched by its size. The space seems claustrophobic in conjunction with the piece. You are holding the walls to get through it. The lighting which places emphasis on the edge of the work, creates large looming shadows and only work to make the piece larger than life.

Another stand out installment is literally the centerpiece of one of the rooms. “Medusa” is a heap of coils and curls made from Acrylic paint, paper, rope and chalk. Though the title pulls from Greek mythology, in Bradford’s hands it takes the myth and places it on top of more modern forms of pop culture.

“In many ways Medusa wasn’t Medusa without being turned into Medusa by a man,” Bradford stated in his explanation of the piece. “Biggie made Lil’ Kim. This idea of the monster, hypersexualized, huge-butt, claw-like, long-weaved Superwoman – that’s all a fabrication of popular-culture male fantasy.”

As you leave the exhibit one of the more subtle, yet no less moving pieces is the short film “Niagara.” It shows a Black man walking down the street. It seems simple but is working on so many different levels. Bradford explained that it pays homage to Marilyn Monroe walking in a similar fashion in a 1953 film with the same name. But it invokes conversation about who gets to walk the streets, and pulls at questions of identity, gentrification and urban areas. It’s a perfect end to a bewildering and stimulating exhibit. Bradford’s work is on display until March 3.

Just down the hall in the American Art section is another exhibit with a different feel but no less urgent.

Ebony G. Patterson’s “…for little whispers…” is an exhibit that might have you revisiting it several times. That’s because the subject matter and work unravel in your brain over time.

At first glance the space looks like your stereotypical idea of a little girls room, with pink polkadot wallpaper and bright Hello Kitty dolls and toys everywhere. As you circle around the space you notice the walls are a little too dark for pink. They resemble red. And the deeply hued floor lends to a room that feels grave and dire. As you look in the corner, a kaleidoscope of butterflies take over the intersection of two walls. They look beautiful and pretty as individuals, but clustered together it makes the room feel ominous.

On top of a tapestry filled with more toys are several pairs of glass shoes. The work is a memorial to children killed in violent crimes. The piece is stark and unsettling as toys hide the darker crimes committed by adults on children. Just down the hall, a smaller piece of Patterson’s shows 150 guns decorated and painted and embroidered. All the pieces are mixed media, but the message is vivid and unsettling. Patterson’s exhibit will be on display until April 7.

The BMA is free and open to the public. To learn more about the exhibits please visit the website.

This article originally appeared in The Afro.

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The Center for ArtEsteem Opens a New Space in West Oakland, Returning Home

After moving into different rental units for the last seven years, The Center for ArtEsteem, a Black-led, West Oakland based non-profit, has bought and renovated a permanent space at 3111 West St. On June 22, about 100 people celebrated the opening of the two-story, 1,500-square-foot space. ArtEsteem Executive Director Amana Harris likened the move to “coming home.”

Published

1 week ago

July 19, 2024

Oakland Post

Artworks hang in The Center for ArtEsteem's new space at 3111 West St. in West Oakland on June 24. Photo by Zack Haber.

By Zack Haber

After moving into different rental units for the last seven years, The Center for ArtEsteem, a Black-led, West Oakland based non-profit, has bought and renovated a permanent space at 3111 West St.

On June 22, about 100 people celebrated the opening of the two-story, 1,500-square-foot space.

ArtEsteem Executive Director Amana Harris likened the move to “coming home.”

Founded in 1989, ArtEsteem, which used to be named Attitudinal Healing Connection, opened its first brick-and-mortar space in 1992.

It was located in the bottom unit of a duplex housing the nonprofit’s founders, Aeesha and Kokomon Clottey, who are Harris’s mother and stepfather. That space was located at the corner of 33rd and West Streets.

“We know this community,” said Harris. “We have kids that have grown up in this neighborhood. After moving around, now we see the greater value of returning here and being more accessible to the community.”

Kamilah Crawford, who is an alumna of ArtEsteem and a former employee, told The Oakland Post she’s happy the nonprofit has returned.

“ArtEsteem not only provided me with art classes and employment after graduating from the University of California, Davis, it provided me with a sense of community and social justice,” she said. “Deep down, I believe what I learned played a role in me becoming a physician’s assistant and my desire to give back to my community.”

Since its founding, the nonprofit’s mission has been to “address social ills by providing opportunities for creative expression and healing to children, families, and individuals.”

ArtEsteem has done programming at over 75 schools in West Oakland and the Bay Area. Currently, it serves about 2,500 young people a year in 25 different schools and has a staff of 20 people.

Each year, the non-profit works closely with about 15 to 20 Oakland high school and middle school students through its Oakland Legacy Project. During a 30-week program each school year, ArtEsteem buses these students to its center two days a week after school to feed and educate them about art and environmental awareness and to build self-esteem.

“We don’t just do art for art’s sake,” said Harris. “We use art so young people can have a better understanding of themselves in the world.”

ArtEsteem got a lot of help to secure its new home. The Walter & Elise Haas Fund, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and an anonymous donor from the San Francisco Foundation provided the largest financial donations. About 100 individuals donated $200 or more.

Artists and individuals have also helped to beautify the space and the nearby area. Students from McClymonds High School, Westlake Middle School, and Hoover Elementary School have collaborated with teams of a dozen or more artists to create four murals in the neighborhood through the Oakland Super Heroes Mural Project, which was originated by Harris, directed by David Burke, and funded by the San Francisco Foundation’s Bay Area Creative Core.

A new mural to be designed by former Oakland Legacy Project students, is in the works. The project also recently got help from Ken Houston and Beautification Council with cleaning up a mural that had been covered with graffiti.

In the building itself, one can see art everywhere.

“We want young people and their parents to feel uplifted by the beauty of the space when they come in,” said Harris. “We want to foster healing and resiliency.”

ArtEsteem is not done expanding its space. It is still fundraising and plans to build a new two-story building next door to its current space, set to open in 2027.

“Now that we own our space, we can dig our roots deeper because we won’t be uprooted,” said Harris.

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The Presidio to Unveil SUPERBLOOMS, an Art Installation on July14

Tosha Stimage stood on the new Presidio Tunnel Tops and took a breath. She inhaled the salty air, and her eyes wandered over the sparkling waters of the San Francisco Bay, and the Golden Gate Bridge, shrouded in mist. She delicately explored the nearby plants, their touch and their smell bringing a sense of connection to nature, she said, that resonated deep within her. Tosha, a multimedia artist and floral designer, has translated those sensations into her new work, SUPERBLOOMS — a colorful ground mural installation on view to Presidio National Park Site visitors starting in mid-June.

Published

3 weeks ago

July 8, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to right, Tosha Stimage and Favianna Rodriguez. Photo by Felipe Romero, Presidio Trust

By Tosha Stimage

Tosha, a multimedia artist and floral designer, has translated those sensations into her new work, SUPERBLOOMS — a colorful ground mural installation on view to Presidio National Park Site visitors starting in mid-June. Shapes referencing the delicate tendrils of the Chilean strawberry, the pink Checkerbloom and the fiery California poppy all express the resilience and beauty of these native plant treasures.

SUPERBLOOMS is the third installation of the Ancestral Futurism Public Art Mentorship program, a project led by Oakland-based artist and environmental justice activist, Favianna Rodriguez. It invites emerging and mid-career BIPOC artists to develop temporary installations at the Presidio Tunnel Tops.

“The model of indigenous/community-led, environmentally informed practices in our public spaces is one example of how we might create more equity and inclusion in our world,” Tosha said. “Art can express the inseparable connection that requires us to consider not only ourselves but our fellow person and planet.”

There’s more to enjoy this summer at the Presidio Tunnel Tops, which opened in July 2022, and has since welcomed some 3 million visitors since. There are outdoor spots for family gatherings, the Outpost playground, views like no other, Presidio Pop Up food trucks, and plenty of free events.

Come to the free SUPERBLOOMS art launch party to enjoy hands-on artmaking, DJ music, plant starters, and more. Sunday, July 14, 12:00 noon – 3:00 pm at Presidio Tunnel Tops, 210 Lincoln Blvd. presidio.gov

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Mayor Breed, Actor Morris Chestnut Attend S.F.’s Indie Night Film Festival

On June 1, the acclaimed Los Angeles-based Indie Night Film Festival arrived at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco. San Francisco native Dave Brown, Founder and CEO of the Indie Night Film Festival, has a vision for the film industry that is squarely focused on promoting the many talented producers, actors, and designers contributing to this billion-dollar industry. The festival has been running for 12 years and it’s only up from here, he says.

Published

1 month ago

June 13, 2024

Oakland Post

(Left to Right) Dave Brown, CEO, Indie Night Festival, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, and actor Morris Chestnut. Photo by Y’Anad Burrell

By Y’Anad Burrell

On June 1, the acclaimed Los Angeles-based Indie Night Film Festival arrived at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco.

San Francisco native Dave Brown, Founder and CEO of the Indie Night Film Festival, has a vision for the film industry that is squarely focused on promoting the many talented producers, actors, and designers contributing to this billion-dollar industry. The festival has been running for 12 years and it’s only up from here, he says.

A weekly celebration of cinematic artistry designed to elevate emerging talent while providing a platform for networking and collaboration, entrepreneur Dave Brown created Indie Night to bridge gaps within the filmmaking community by fostering connections between like-minded individuals worldwide. The Indie Film Festival currently has over 450 film submissions worldwide, and its cinematic vault only continues to grow.

The festival showcased over 10 short films and trailers, and featured Faces of the “City: Fighting for the Soul of America,” produced by veteran actor Tisha Campbell. This film is about the vibrancy and legacy of San Francisco. The festival also previewed “When It Reigns,” a trailer by Oakland’s burgeoning filmmaker Jamaica René.

Indie films have not just challenged traditional cinematic norms; they’ve shattered them. These films offer unique storytelling perspectives and push creative boundaries in truly inspiring ways. With their smaller budgets and independent spirit, they often tackle unconventional subjects and portray diverse characters, providing a refreshing alternative to mainstream cinema. As a result, indie films have resonated with audiences seeking an escape from formulaic blockbusters and are increasingly celebrated for their authenticity and originality.

Organizers say the mission of Indie Night is to elevate the craft of independent artists and creators. It also provides a venue for them to showcase their work, network, and exchange information with new and established creatives. It creates a community that values and supports independent art.

For more about the Indie Night Film Festival, visit www.indienightfilmfestival.com.