2015 State Black Art Exhibit at the Atrium Gallery

Rhode Island State Council on the Arts presents the "2015 State Black Art Exhibit" at the Atrium Gallery @ One Capitol Hill. This exhibit is part of the New Visions/New Curators Mentoring Series Program.

Curator: Tarshire Battle

Curator Statement: “What drives my work is that art in and of itself can be used as a tool to bring people of various ethnicities, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds together, despite their differences. Art is universal. I have also found that art can be used as a catalyst for change for subgroups of people in our population such as the homeless, battered women, youth and returning veterans, who have experienced trauma. As a therapeutic medium, art should have no boundaries regarding technical ability, but rather, art should be used to explore emotions attached to their unique experiences. Art can be used as a social change vehicle to address pressing social issues and make them visible.”

Curator: Cynthia Ross-Meeks

Curator Statement: “The art pieces that I create are extensions of my research and study of the Native American people (my people) and the African people who ended up in New England (my people also). Knowledge of my ancestry and cultures within my family was the catalyst. Being the historian and caretaker of my family’s artifacts, documents, and properties afforded me a wealth of information and inspiration. Coming from a family tree sprinkled with artists and artisans, I feel that I was destined to become the artist that I am.”

Participating Artists: Rufus Abdullah, William Chantre, Karen Harris, Nixon Leger, Monique Rolle-Johnson, Dennis Smith, Simone Spruce-Torres, Tarshire Battle, Quincy Gilbert, Kyla Laughlin, Titilola Martins, Cynthia Ross-Meeks, Brittanny Taylor, McDonald Wright

Performances: Mike Rollins & Co., Cheryl Albright, Anthony Johnson, Melodie Thompson, Jealani Laughlin, Sidy Maiga

Atrium Gallery at One Capitol Hill
Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) developed the Atrium Gallery to recognize talented artists from communities throughout the state. The Atrium Gallery hosts multidisciplinary exhibitions in partnership with diverse artists and cultural organizations. The gallery features a stunning tall glass ceiling with light that cascades into an open space surrounded by three walls of artwork. This has become a destination point for visitors and the many people who frequent the Administration offices at One Capitol Hill, while enriching the environment for hundreds of state workers in the building.

State Black Art Exhibit
The Black Art Exhibition showcases incredible works of art from established and emerging artists who express their culture by highlighting their unique stories through a vast array of mediums including photography and painting. Starting from its initiation in 2003, the Black Art Exhibit was a partnership between the Rhode Island Department of Administration Human Resources Outreach and Diversity (HROD) Office and the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society (RIBHS). This collaboration with RIBHS continued for several years, during which the Atrium Gallery attracted and showcased the works of talented artists from the black community. RISCA continues to partner with culturally specific organizations and individual artists, showcasing and celebrating the artistic talents of these communities.

New Visions/New Curators Program
The Atrium Gallery encourages the development of new curators and gallery directors from diverse communities through the New Visions/New Curators Program. Artists of color are provided logistical support to curate a show by defining a theme, professionally installing the artwork, and creating marketing materials that promote the exhibit. Previous participants have curated exhibitions in local and regional galleries and museums. This highly successful program has become an incubator for new curators that promote viewpoints and voices of artists of color.

The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts is a state agency supported by appropriations from the Rhode Island General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. RISCA provides grants, technical assistance and staff support to arts organizations and artists, schools, community centers, social service organizations and local governments to bring the arts into the lives of Rhode Islanders. To learn more visit www.arts.ri.gov