Celebrating Black History

Brooklyn Council for the Arts hosts ‘Ancestral Articulations’ exhibition

Ancestral Articulations, a group art show hosted by the Brooklyn Campus Council of the Arts and curated by its director Ramona Candy, was open Jan. 26 until March 10 in the Alumni Room Gallery of Tuohy Hall.

Featuring art that articulates various nuances of promise, perseverance, joy and the survival of generations of Black people, the exhibition showcased the work of nine artists in photography, painting, mixed media and other areas.

On Feb. 8, Ms. Candy hosted five of the show’s artists for a conversation with SJNY community members and the public.

Natalie Alleyne, an artist who spoke at the event, said, “I create my work as a way to link my perception of people and the world through the lens of creativity.”

Alleyne had three pieces of mixed media on display at the exhibit. The inspiration for two of them, Perceptions 1 and Perceptions 2, were the experiences of her enslaved African ancestors working on a plantation.

Jimmy James Greene also had three works on display.

“I am a Black artist. This is a statement about my racial identity and my artistic alignment,” he said. “The African American experience has been my artwork’s focus since adolescence.”