Black Light - February 2013

Friday, February 1st at the Harrison Center for the Arts comes our latest show, Black Light.  In collaboration with many artists from around the city, Black Light is a celebration of Black History Month. Now celebrated officially for thirty-seven years, Black History Month uses the month of February to highlight the brilliancy and legacy of Black and African Americans in all arenas. The original concept stems from Carter G. Woodson who proposed a week long event that would be celebrated during the first week of February, which the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass both fall; he called it Negro History Week.  The event was well received and garnered great support to where in 1976 it was officially recognized by the U.S. government and extended to a month.

Black Light, too, is a celebration, one of art and artists.  The group show will explore works from Indianapolis artists such as Bruce Armstrong, Courtland Blade, Rodney Walker, and many more.

The idea for the show came from the collaboration of Armstrong and Walker. Their goal was to highlight the talent and art of Black residents of Indianapolis.  Walker describes the group show as an effort to showcase African American artists and bring them to light.

Armstrong, who has worked as an Indianapolis artists for many years, contributes large-scale geometric abstract paintings as well as sculptural assemblages to this exhibit. Blade's work depicts modern "non-spaces" in moments of isolation, drawing attention to the absence of identity embodied without a human presence.  Walker pursues more religious themes in his art and will showcase pieces like "Revelation" and "Heaven or Hell".  Other artists include: Michael Graves, Lobyn Hamilton, William Watson, Anthony Armstrong, Gevoris McCrary, LaShawnda Crowe, Ashley Robinson and William Rasdell.

In the other three galleries of the Harrison Center you can expect to discover more talented artists and art.  Gallery No. 2 will feature 48 Portraits (underexposed) by Samuel Levi Jones.  In the City Gallery, "Relit" features Brian Allee's found object assemblage/light fixtures.  And in Hank & Dolly's Gallery, work by Crystal Vicars-Pugh will be shown.

The works hang through Friday, February 22nd.  Come to IDADA First Friday from 6-9pm at the Harrison Center for the Arts to experience local art up-close!  Check out our Facebook event page for more details.