Anyone looking for an exciting and unique way to celebrate Black History Month would do well to visit the Indiana State Museum (ISM) and see its new exhibit, REPRESENT: Art by African-Americans.
The new exhibit, which will be displayed as part of ISM’s collection from now until October, provides guests with an opportunity to experience art crafted by premiere local African-American artists.
“We have a great combination of wonderful pieces in this collection,” said Kisha Tandy, assistant curator of social history at the ISM. “These are pieces that truly must be seen in person.”
REPRESENT includes an exclusive selection of items that present engaging scenes capturing everything from moments in everyday life, to artistic profiles of famous African-Americans such as James Brown, Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey.
Tandy, who has also worked at the Indiana Historical Society, played the leading role in assembling the REPRESENT collection. Previously, she oversaw the ISM’s involvement in past art events such as the Heritage Spectrum art show presented with the Herron School of Art & Design; a display of works by the late William Edouard Scott, an Indianapolis native known as “the dean of Black artists”; and Meet the Artists, an annual showcase of pieces by local African-Americans.
“Those experiences, a background in history and appreciation of art all helped to prepare me for this moment in presenting the exhibit,” Tandy said.
REPRESENT has been developed with materials shared by both artists and private collectors. The exhibit shows a fascinating variety of art that incorporates different mediums such as traditional paintings, textiles, ceramics, watercolors, photography , sculpture and graffiti.
“The variety we use in this collection is amazing,” Tandy said. “These pieces really allow you to step into a new and different environment.”
Tandy added that one of the great things about fine art is that each piece tells its own story, and each piece provides a unique experience.
One of them, “Dark Fantasy” by Walter Lobyn Hamilton, uses an innovative and rare fine art form: vinyl records. Pieces of broken records were fashioned into the silhouette of a woman who is similar in appearance to the singer Erykah Badu.
“It’s a loose model of my sister, but what ‘Dark Fantasy’ really represents to me is the complexities of women that involve how they deal with elements of life such as men and the professional world,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton’s development of “Dark Fantasy” is just one of example of the many interesting stories that explain how artists came up with their pieces.
An Indianapolis native, Hamilton originally worked as a disc jockey, using his vinyl collection of records to deliver entertainment.
“I injured my leg, which prevented me from continuing as a DJ,” Hamilton said. “In anger I went down into my basement and smashed some of the albums. But I love records, and found a way to make something good out of the broken pieces.”
Artist Linda Gray’s quilt, “Women of Substance,” was structured from her own experiences as an African-American woman in a society still struggling with racial and gender stereotypes.
“It is really designed as a tribute to women and what we have represented,” Gray said.
Tandy believes guests will enjoy multiple benefits when they come out and see REPRESENT.
“What is so exciting is the opportunity to see pieces from artists in our own community, and discovering why they created them and how they interpret our history,” Tandy said.
