Newly Selected Curator: Raul Moarquech Ferrera-Balanquet

Raimi Gbadamosi, Pax Africana, 2017, installation, variable sizes.

Akili Ron Anderson, Eye on the Prize, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 24 in.

Akili Ron Anderson, Gye Nyame, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 24 in.

Elka Stevens, Angelina Brooks, 2018, fiber print, 29.5 x 19.5 in.

Elka Stevens, Race Blocks, 2022, quilt, 69 x 82 in.

Raul Moarquech Ferrera-Balanquet, Kubaxeri 1–12-Series Cimarronaje, 2013-2016, 12 color photos, 10 x 7.75 in (each)

Raul Moarquech Ferrera-Balanquet, Locations- Series Cimarronaje, 2013-2023, mixed media, 4.625 x 6.75 in (each).

Reginald Pointer, Face to Face I–III, 2022, ceramic, 4 x 4 x 2 in (each).

Reginald Pointer, How Many Times Must I Tell You, 2018, ceramic, 12 x 24 in.

Reginald Pointer, Repairing a Broken Union, 2021, ceramic, 17 x 18 in.

Curator Raul Moarquech Ferrera-Balanquet
Sensorial Africana Superrealities: Five Diaspora Contemporary Artists
November 4 – November 26, 2023

Weaving symbolic, poetic, political, and socio-cultural references, Sensorial Africana Superrealities displays visual and material languages reaching locations such as North Carolina, Maryland, Cuba, Nigeria, England, and Washington, D.C. This exhibition interconnects African ancestral paths and realities that historically have emerged in transnational Black Atlantic and Caribbean territories. Employing personal histories, communal experiences, and territorial cartographies, the artists reveal how critical African-based knowledge still shapes today’s interdisciplinary cultural expressions. Mapping imagined sensorial crossroads to project their reverse memories and complex histories, the artists engage in intercultural dialogue to express how, converging at Howard University, they continue the legacy of this iconic center of Black culture. Artists included in Sensorial Africana Superrealities are Elka Stevens, Akili Ron Anderson, Reginald Pointer, Raimi Gbadamosi, and Raul Moarquech Ferrera-Balanquet.

About the Curator:

Aiming to transform the perception of African Diaspora sensorial realities during the present national crises, artists search for their ancestral legacies as they shift their locus of enunciation and social preoccupations toward a more inclusive territory. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to control women’s bodies overlaps with many communities’ risks—political violence, racial injustice, voter suppression. Civil rights gained throughout the 1954-1968 nonviolent social movements and Black Lives Matter public demonstrations are at the brink of disappearance. Africana Sensorial Superrealities presents works by five global African descendant artists whose creative productions examine diverse ways in which space, color patterns, lines, graphic writing, statehood, textual construction, and ancestral memories are perceived and represented across the diaspora territories. Weaving Africana-diasporic cultural languages and their undercurrent connectivity, Africana Sensorial Superrealities provides multiple visions in today’s global artistic and sociopolitical discourses.

Consciousness in Collapse, 2016, water-based paint on gesso board, 18 × 24 inches.

The Day of Judgment, Part 2, 2020, water-based paint on gesso board, 6× 24 inches.

What's Past is Prologue, 2016, water-based paint on gesso board, 6 × 6.

Mid-life Sandstorm, 2017, acrylic and water-based paints and oil pastels on stretched canvas, 24x56 inches (framed).

Magnity, 2023, arcrylic and water-based paints and oil pastels on canvas, 36 × 60 inches (framed).

She Saw Patterns in the Sky, 2019, water-based paint on gesso board, 5x7 inches (framed).

Proximity Breeds Confusion, 2021, water-based paint & collage on paper, 18 × 24 (framed).

Equilibrium, 2017-2023, water-based paint on wood, 2 - 4 inches (quantity: several); display size is 58" x 45" x 16".

Equilibrium, 2017-2023, water-based paint on wood, 2 - 4 inches (quantity: several); display size is 58" x 45" x 16".

Equilibrium, 2017-2023, water-based paint on wood, 2 - 4 inches (quantity: several); display size is 58" x 45" x 16".

Shamila Chaudhary
Attention Surplus Disorder
October 7–October 29, 2023

The 9/11 attacks gave the US government and Americans a lot to think about. Our government reacted with a forceful response but many of us didn’t fully anticipate how a new era of war would reshape what it meant to be an American. I saw this up close while working for over a decade in national security jobs in the US government. When I left government in 2011, I created the paintings in this exhibit to explore the impact of two decades of war on our sense of self. The exhibit’s title, Attention Surplus Disorder, refers to the disordered state of our minds after 9/11 and the surplus of attention on fear. While I’ve written extensively about these issues, painting offers a new medium to contemplate them in and alternative methods of communicating how war reshapes the way we see ourselves and others.

About the artist:

Shamila Chaudhary is a foreign policy professional who worked in the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development, and the White House National Security Council. After working for over a decade in the U.S. government on policy issues related to the 9/11 attacks, Chaudhary began to explore policy issues through the creative process. A mostly self-taught multi-media artist, she studied photography at The George Washington University Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, co-edited the documentary photography book “UnPresidented: The Inauguration of Donald J. Trump and the People’s Response,” and served as President of the Board of Directors for “Focus on the Story,” an organization using visual storytelling to highlight critical issues, bridge cultural gaps and spark social change. At Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, she served as Executive Director of “The Big Picture,” a forum exploring international affairs through arts and culture.

Adrienne Gaither, Comin’ Thru, 2022, acrylic paint and 3M on canvas, 60 x 72 in.

Cheryl Edwards, The Old Nubian, 2021, pigmented pulp painting, 40 x 23 in.

Cianne Fragione, Fragments of Carrara : Journey to Ionian Sea- Find Blu, 2021, raw pigment on marble, 2 x 3 x 2 in.

Ellyn Weiss, It Won’t Be Easy, 2021, monoprint on acrylic sheet, 20 x 20 in.

Elaine Qui, Crossing, 2022, enamel and acrylic on canvas, 84 x 86 in.

Trevor Young, Red Bishop, 2011, oil on panel, 12 x 12 in.

Joyce Wellman, Untitled Sky, 1984, etching, 20 x 16 in.

Sharon Farmer, Beatrice Fergerson, age 97, 1990, photographic triptych, silver gelatin prints, 13 7:16 × 9 in (each).

Sharon Farmer, Beatrice Fergerson, age 97, 1990, photographic triptych, silver gelatin prints, 13 7:16 × 9 in (each).

Sharon Farmer, Beatrice Fergerson, age 97, 1990, photographic triptych, silver gelatin prints, 13 7:16 × 9 in (each).

Renée Stout
The Oracle Said, “Be Still.”
October 7–October 29, 2023

“During the height of Covid, I created a print that featured a disembodied head (the ‘oracle’), in which it suggested in a speech bubble that we should ‘be still.’ In that stillness I had hoped that we would all take the time to care for ourselves, reassess our lives and re-focus on the things that are most important.” — Renée Stout

Following the premonition of the “oracle,” Stout chose not to place importance on showcasing the featured artists’ most recent works. Instead, she selected works by the artists that collectively evoke a variety of thoughts, moods, and feelings that can be articulated with words like reflective, wistful, introspective, pensive, playful, forlorn, spiritual, and joyful.

Pondering the works, Stout experienced moments of reverie, solace, escape, and a deep sense of longing for something undefinable. In many instances, the titles of the works offer portals into their own narratives and trajectories. It’s that quiet, undefinable, and elusive thing, simultaneously serendipitous and melancholy, to the point of bittersweetness that Stout was aiming to present to the viewer to muse upon in their own way, to hopefully find some peace within the stillness.

Featured Artists:

Cheryl Edwards
Sharon Farmer
Cianne Fragione
Adrienne Gaither
Elaine Qiu
Ellyn Weiss
Joyce Wellman
Trevor Young

About the curator:

Renée Stout received her BFA from Carnegie Mellon University in 1980. Based in Washington, DC, she is the recipient of awards from several institutions, including the Joan Mitchell Foundation, the Pollock-Krasner Foundation, and the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation, and was awarded the Driskell Prize by the High Museum of Art. She was a 2018 recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Women’s Caucus for Art. Stout has shown throughout the US, and her work is in several national and international museums and private collections. She is an avid roller skater and perfume collector with over 300 bottles of contemporary and vintage scents.

Nicole Wandera, Persephonoir, 2023, acrylic on canvas, interactive AR, 24 x 48 in.

Nicole Wandera, Matriarchs, 2023, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 48 in.

Nicole Wandera, Muses Matriarch, 2023, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 60 in.

Nicole Wandera, Persephonoir, 2023, acrylic on canvas, interactive AR, 24 x 48 in.

Nicole Wandera, Pieta, 2023, mixed media, 48 in diameter.

Nicole Wandera, Saint 1, 2023, acrylic on canvas, 18 x 24 in.

Nicole Wandera, Saint 2, 2023, acrylic on canvas, 18 x 24 in.

Nicole Wandera, Untitled, 2023, ink on plexiglass mirror, interactive AR, 24 in diameter.

Nicole Wandera
We Meet Again
September 2–October 1, 2023

We Meet Again is a visual narrative of personal growth, embracing the wisdom of the past and the aspirations for the future. This exhibition unites the past, present, and future, as the artist delves into themes of childhood, motherhood, catharsis, and the enigmas of what lies ahead. Influenced by the timeless traditions of her heritage, Wandera uses African prints to weave a narrative that honors the strength of matriarchal figures, acknowledging their pivotal role in shaping her life and instilling a profound sense of identity.

The exhibition becomes a testament to the nurturing power of motherhood, encapsulating the joys, challenges, and transformative experiences that define this sacred bond.

Wandera integrates technology with the use of augmented reality, which adds an interactive element, evoking the playfulness and imagination of childhood experiences while discussing difficult themes of healing from trauma. We Meet Again is an immersive reflection of growth, inviting viewers to contemplate their transformative paths, embracing hope, healing, and shared human experiences.

About the artist:

Nicole Wandera is a Nairobi-born interdisciplinary artist currently based in Northern Virginia. She earned her BFA at Virginia Commonwealth University and had the privilege of completing a postgraduate residency at Torpedo Art Factory. During this residency, she had the opportunity to explore an innovative project, experimenting with electric paint, coding, and music, which sparked a newfound fascination with the fusion of mixed media and technology in her works.

Her interest in activism through creativity has led to her collaborating with organizations such as Black Lives Matter and Art with Impact. Her artworks serve as visual narratives, inviting viewers to engage with diverse perspectives and to explore a world of creativity, empathy, and thought-provoking insights. Nicole finds profound fulfillment in sharing her personal stories, experiences, and cultural heritage. Nicole is always searching for new ways to express creativity, and believes that creating is the practice of nurturing visual ideation.

Mark Tan, Labor of Liberty, 2022-cont., wood, plastic, electronics, and hardware, size varies.

Mark Tan, Unordinary Itinerary, 2022, wood, plastic, electronics, hardware, 30 x 60 x 10 in.

Mark Tan, Migration Waves, 2022, Douglas Fir, 48 x 96 x 24 in.

Mark Tan, Remain, 2022, wood, plastic, hardware, 20 x 18 x 96 in.

Mark Tan, In Search of New Life, 2022, newspaper, 23 x 29 in.

Mark Tan
Sight Unseen
September 2–October 1, 2023

Sight Unseen is a representation of displacement, belonging, and defeat through the Department of Homeland Security’s Arrival/Departure Record, known as Form I-94, which is issued to aliens admitted to the United States. This form shows the terms of your admission, including your legal status, the length of time you may stay, and your expected departure date. For migrants, it represents the experience of being tracked and recorded in the United States.

The work depicts sympathy through hardship, accessibility, and the desire of a migrant to find a place. This exhibition includes the continuous clunk of a time recorder, indicating that time here is temporary and will always expire; it also suggests the perpetual motion of lived experiences of entering the United States and the hurdles that migrants encounter, underscored by a newspaper that shares the stories of Tan’s family and their journey in search for a new life. Labor is what brought the artist to the United States, and labor is what allows the artist to stay.

About the artist:

Mark Tan is a first-generation Canadian born and raised in Toronto by Filipino immigrants. He produces interactive sculptures made from reclaimed solid wood, found materials, and domestic construction building materials at an architectural scale. His work expresses the emotional value of preconceived notions, longing, and disconnectedness in seeking acceptance within a community.

He received his MFA in Furniture Design and Woodworking in the Craft/Material Studies program at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. His work has been exhibited internationally at exhibitions such as the Messler Gallery in Rockport, ME; Patterson-Appleton Gallery in Denton, TX; Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA; Wharton Esherick Museum in Malvern, PA; Aspen Art Museum in Aspen, CO; and the DeLeon White Gallery at the Gladstone in Toronto, ON. He has participated in residencies at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and the Windgate Artist-in-Residence at San Diego State University. He is currently Assistant Professor of Sculpture/Wood at Arizona State University.