In recognition of Black History Month, Gary artist Jamika Smith has created an installation of furniture that traces the complexities of the Black experience in America. In her art practice, Smith repurposes old and abandoned furniture, reupholstering the pieces in a creative context. For this exhibit, Smith worked collaboratively with community artists, including painters, sculptors, and poets, to create fourteen works that trace a people’s history from the African Empire and slave trade, through Jim Crow and the Civil Rights eras, to contemporary experiences. Each piece, presented as a lovely, inviting object, reveals a hidden story upon closer look, either in visual or written form. These works act as, Smith says, “a unique and compelling entry point for people to examine and engage in critical discussions about the traumas and triumphs of African and Black History.”
Many of the community artists who collaborated on these works, among them Ish Muhammed, Rhondalyn Cox, and Nancy Hejna, have previously exhibited at the Gardner Center gallery.
The opening reception on February 2 features catering from Caribbean Roots and a performance by drummers Oshun'ala Falagbe and Baba Olabisi.
