Roots and Routes: Group Show
The journey, more than the destination, is often what shapes us. In this group exhibition, the profound heritage of African American families and the diverse paths they have traversed are illuminated. “Roots and Routes” uses the lens of migration, urbanization, and cultural exchange to capture the essence of ancestral origins, the Great Migration, and contemporary movements within America that continue to shape our perception of the past, present, and even imagine speculative futures. Each artwork serves as a testament to how these journeys have sculpted identities and communities, creating a portrait of shared experiences and cultural resilience.
The exhibition revolves around the exploration of African American lineage and the myriad routes taken over generations. Contemplating ancestral origins, reflecting on the deep roots and heritage of African American families; the Great Migration, chronicling the mass movement of African Americans from the rural South to urban centers in the North and West; investigating their repercussions on more contemporary movements, examining modern-day migrations and cultural exchanges within America; and identity and community, the artists visualize how these journeys have shaped personal and communal identities.
"Roots & Routes" draws on the historical experiences of African American travelers, highlighting the resilience and resourcefulness in navigating a challenging landscape. The exhibition explores the historical and contemporary paths that have shaped African American identities, symbolizing routes of survival, empowerment, and community. The art reflects the journeys and historical significance honoring the strength and endurance of African Americans.
Featuring the work of Desmond Beach, Leroy Campbell, Lynthia Edwards, Clarence Heyward, Frank Morrison, daàPò reo and Terron Cooper Sorrells, the artists of "Roots & Routes" bring their unique perspectives and experiences to the forefront. Their works span various mediums and styles, but all share a common thread: how the migrations of their own genealogies formed rich cultural exchanges that define their communities and themselves.
These artists are challenging perceptions of the Black identity and experience. Frank Morrison captures the vibrancy and resilience of African American urban life through dynamic, fluid paintings. While Lynthia Edwards celebrates Southern black women’s lives and heritage through mixed-media collages and quilts. Clarence Heyward employs the technique of green-skinned portraits to distort ideas of media-spewed imagery.
Conversely, artists like Desmond Beach transforms the tragedies of the African Diaspora into an uplifting take of black life through multimedia art, uses his practices as a defiant act of celebration.
Understanding these pathways, roads, and routes traveled, several of the artists use their work to reconceptualize history itself. Terron Cooper Sorrells reclaims space in fine art for African American histories through monumental narrative paintings. Daàpo Reo intertwines personal and collective histories in mixed media flags and textile installations. Leroy Campbell connects the past to the present with historical narratives in paintings, emphasizing wisdom and community.
Spanning geographies and generations, the stories, struggles, and triumphs embodied within “Roots & Routes'' seek to foster empathy, celebrate cultural heritage, and highlight the ongoing contributions of African American communities to the broader American narrative. Here, the interconnectedness of past and present and the enduring impact of these journeys on individual and collective identities become an inescapable set of silenced truths.
