"Library of Black Lies" at the Henry
Thank goodness most art venues give you a few months to see the work of major artists: I’d miss pretty much everything if they were two-day pop-ups. Fortunately, my schedule opened up the other day, so I seized the chance to see Edgar Arceneaux’s installation at the Henry Art Gallery.
The danger of a single narrative — especially about black people — is one of his primary themes. Part of the wall text reads:
Arceneaux’s architectural installation Library of Black Lies furthers this conceit, positing that there is no singular truth to history and that even well-intentioned narratives can lock things down to one agenda or cause. Arceneaux argues that the true nature of people and events, which is insistently messy, chaotic, and rhizomatic, is often whitewashed and sterilized.
Talk about “messy”: the installation includes several of Bill Cosby’s books, partially encrusted with sugar crystals. It’s lovely and disturbing, because the crystallization gradually eats away at the book. What a profound way to illustrate how Cosby’s (pre-rape-conviction) narratives and fatherly image morph into something else.
As an artist who also explores different ways of being black, I’m inspired by this traveling installation — and also really glad I didn’t see it before my museum exhibit. I can imagine going down a rabbit hole of comparing my work-in-progress to his… and nobody wants to see that end result. If you’d like to see the “Library of Black Lies,” seize the day: the installation closes the first weekend of June.
Last chance: "You're Not From Around Here, Are You?"
The last days of my museum exhibit are upon us: You're Not From Around Here, Are You? closes in one week!
True, the exhibit closes after April 8th, which is in nine days. But the Northwest African American Museum is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. So if you've got a day job, or you're a student, realistically you might have only this weekend or next weekend left to visit.
One last reason to go: some of these artworks have been sold to art collectors.
Once the show closes, I'm shipping those pieces off to their new homes. So if you'd thought about buying one yourself...
NOW is the time to speak up for the artwork you love. (And yes, I do installment payment plans.) Let me know: contact me here.
Available art: sometimes you *can* take it with you
Usually when you visit a museum, you have to leave the art on the walls. Not this time.
When You're Not From Around Here, Are You? closes in April, I expect most of these pieces to go home with someone else. Like you... yes, you, the art lover.
"St. Felicia, Patron Saint of Farewells (Defender of Personal Space)" is already spoken for: she'll be shipped to a collector in Atlanta. Two other collectors are interested in the St. Felicia devotional candles as well. (One or two candles are still available.)
And in case you were wondering, these art patrons asked to buy the pieces on an installment payment plan. I'm also able to take payment for some items through my online shop. If you're interested in these artworks, please contact me here. You really can take it with you! And if you can't, you can always support me as an artist by sharing this post with another art collector.