This exhibition will be viewable October 13, November 10, and December 8.
The Black Church occupies an important physical and figurative space in the African American community. As contemporary Black communities have formed, shifted and reshaped, there has been increased research and documentation of the church as a material building, cultural shelter, convening space, and repository of aesthetic ideals. This exhibition looks at an attendant social history, particularly at how Black people have used notions of sacred and spiritual practice to construct deeply individual and intimate places for reflection, resilience and divine encounters in their homes as well as in other private or hidden spaces.
Altar Call will feature a special installation by multimedia artist Candace Hunter entitled: “Refuge, Secrets and Safety," which reflects on the particular role of mothers in the Black community play in providing physical and spiritual protection for their offspring and the next generation.
Rootwork Gallery showcases artistic expression that has healing; reconciliation—personal and collective; reflective practice; and investigation of folk, street and indigenous cultures at its core. It is a multidisciplinary space for discovery and experimentation through the visual and performing arts, written and oral literature and culture-work in general. By acting as an antenna for artists from a variety of backgrounds (multicultural, multidisciplinary, formally and informally trained) and a convening space for individuals and collectives interested in art that attempts to be reparative, Rootwork Gallery seeks to foster an inclusive community united in the search for deeper knowing.
