Art Overload

Brandis Snagg
Oct 26, 2016
3 min read

We’re midway into a new week, but I’m still on my creative high, from over the weekend. Here’s why:

Bridging The Gap Vol. 1- The Bishop Gallery (Brooklyn)

It all started on Thursday, when I attended the opening of Bridging The Gap Vol. 1, at The Bishop Gallery in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. The first installment of a series, set to be released in doses over the coming year, tackled the role race plays in deeming which artists are significant in the art industry and in art history. The aim of the exhibition is to highlight underrepresented artists overlooked by accredited institutions.

Artists in the exhibition include living masters like Ed Clark and Emmett Wigglesworth. The exhibit also ushers in the new generation of greats like Jules Arthur, Faheem Majeed, and Ta Ha Clayton. The inspiration behind the exhibit is a Randy Kennedy New York Times article entitled, “Black Artists and the March Into the Museum”. Kennedy states, “After decades of spotty acquisitions, undernourished scholarship and token exhibitions, American museums are rewriting history of 20th century art to include black artists in a more visible and meaningful way than ever before, playing historical catch-up at full tilt, followed by collectors who are rushing to find the most significant works before they are out of reach.”

The Bishop Gallery has always maintained their stance on being a gallery aimed at highlighting emerging artists and celebrating the accomplishments of living artists. They give new meaning to the “give me my flowers while I’m here” terminology. To learn more about this exhibition visit, www.bishoponbeford.com or swing by Wednesday-Saturday from 12-7pm. The exhibit runs through December 31s

Gold Rush Awards – Rush Arts (Brooklyn)

Fast forward to the weekend and on Saturday I attended the Gold Rush Awards at Littlefield, in Brooklyn. The room was filled to capacity with the movers and shakers of the art world, including Thelma Golden from the Studio Museum of Harlem. Just full on creativity busting at the seams. I was in my glory. The awards given by Rush Philanthropic Foundation honored four of “some of New York’s best and brightest cultural figures who all foster growing art communities and create opportunities for emerging artists and curators to share their visions in the world.”

Kimberly Drew, Lauren Haynes, Rashaad Newsome and Caledonia Curry aka Swoon were the honorees this year. Reggie “Combat Jack” Osse hosted the event, and after the formalities were out the way, DJ April Hunt took me back to an era of “real hip-hop” with some classic tunes.

There was a wall of donated art that featured works from artists like Tim Okamura, Kennis Baptiste and Swoon. Wish you were there. For more information on this organization’s efforts visit www.rushphilanthopic.org.

Wish List- Exhibits I Hope to Catch

“A Year of Yes: Re-imagining Feminism” is a series that opened at the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum, on October 21st. The series will feature works from the likes of Georgia O’Keefe, Marilyn Minter, and Faith Ringgold. The first installment comes from Beverly Buchanan entitled Ruins and Rituals. Buchanan, a Black artist is known for her sculptures, photography and paintings. I hope to fit this into my schedule this weekend.

Also on the things to do list is, the “Kerry James Marshall-Mastry” exhibit at the Met Breuer, which opens today and runs through January 29th. Kerry James Marshall’s exhibit peaked my interest, not only because he’s talented, but because he shares the same mission as The Bishop Gallery, to have African Americans included in the conversation when it comes to the depiction of great artists, in art history. Marshall told Paul Laster for Time Out NY, “I realized art history is built on representation, which mostly meant white figures. I wanted to represent the black body at the same level of complexity, sophistication and aesthetic value. You can’t achieve real equality unless people are able to see it in art.” Congrats Mr. Marshall, you deserve this honor. This is definitely something to make time for.