Black artists’ work creates ‘constellation’ in Downtown Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh-based fashion designer Tereneh Idia says she’s been thinking about constellations since visiting the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.
“I’ve been obsessed with the idea of how constellations are made and how we identify constellations in space,” she said. “I saw that there are peoples of these countries that we now call America that saw the darkness in the sky as constellations, as well as the lights.”
When the opportunity arose for her to curate a public art installation for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, she decided to use her obsession as its theme.
“202021: a new constellation” features the work of 11 emerging local Black artists displayed in nine locations throughout the Downtown Cultural District.
“Many believe that constellations are created by the stars, planets, and other objects of light in the cosmos. However, some Indigenous communities of the Americas, like the Incan Empire, found constellations in the dark spaces between the light,” the project description says. “The art, the space between and the act of you moving to view the art, creates a new celestial body; a ground constellation; a space for celebration of Black creativity and people.”
Idia is the founder of Idia’Dega, a global eco-design collaboration of Maasai, Oneida and African American women designers and artisans. Her work has been featured in Martha Stewart Weddings, Afropunk, Chaos Fashion Magazine and other media outlets. She grew up in Pittsburgh’s North Side and is the daughter of sculptor Thaddeus Mosley.
“202021” is her first foray into curating an art exhibition.
Create a celebration
“I love art and I am, luckily, part of the creative community of Pittsburgh, so I felt like I could pull together something that would represent Pittsburgh artists and a nice celestial body of work,” she said. “I was very interested in having it be all Black artists and, in the conversation, it seemed that was something that (curator of visual arts) Murray Horne and (director of festival management) Sarah Aziz at the Cultural Trust were interested in supporting.
“I wanted to create this celebration that really focused on Black people and Black Pittsburgh, that I don’t think is celebrated enough or talked about enough or acknowledged enough,” she said.
From the beginning, Idia said, she had pieces from certain artists in mind for the project and searched for others artists from sources like the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council register and her own Instagram feed.
“I was trying to create space for artists who maybe have more exhibition opportunity and those who may be showing for the first time,” she said.
As far as the constellation theme goes, there is not a continual thread through the works, but there is a progression from vintage to contemporary to Afro-futurism — a cross-cultural philosophy that imagines the future of Black America through the lenses of technology, the African diaspora and the resulting erasure of Black history.
“Afro-futurism is past, present and future — and something that hasn’t been invented yet,” Idia said.
“Going back and looking at the artists, we do have different representatives of age, gender and abilities. I want to be more intentional about representing the totality of the Black community, rather than having a narrow definition of what that means,” she said. “I hope that this provides opportunity for people to see (that) inter-generational art exhibits are possible, and community includes people from all walks of life, including the Black community.”
Window displays
Most “202021” works are displayed in windows; all can be viewed from outdoors. The project is slated to remain up through March, although pieces may remain longer with the projected return of activities in the Cultural District.
Artists, their works and locations include:
• Chris Ivey, excerpts from “We Are Here” video, SPACE, 812 Liberty Ave.
• DS Kinsel, “Love Letters” performance art piece, window cling, 803 Liberty Ave.
• Daontay Knight, 35mm film, “The Girl Who Told Fortunes,” 803 Liberty Ave.
• Bekezela Mguni, six screenprints, Benedum Center, 237 7th St.
• Steven Montinar, “Flava Flav’s Digital Clock,” live updating clock using rap lyrics to display time, 707 Penn Ave.
• Patrice McKinzie, thrift and vintage fashion inspired by August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” 821 Penn Ave.
• Charmette Young, “It’s Just Awesome (it’s a big one),” embroidered canvas, 9th Street and Penn Avenue
• LaVerne Kemp, “Holdin Back the Blues,” handmade paper, woven fabric and beads, 9th Street and Penn Avenue
• Lavish Lamb, “Ava Monroe Turban” and “It’s a Wrap Headband,” silk and cotton, 9th Street and Penn Avenue
• Wavy Wednesday, “Lima Beans,” house paint, acrylic, diamond dust, gold leaf on canvas, 815 Liberty Ave.
• Shori Sims, “A New Kind of Freedom 3,” graphite on paper, 813 Liberty Ave.
Shirley McMarlin is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Shirley by email at smcmarlin@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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