DSXSO Events
2017
"BROKEN CROWN" by Nik Richard
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DSXSO: BETTER MUST COME
Gallery Opening/Reception & Live Shotgun Griot Podcast May 4th, 2017 6:00 to 8:00pm Arts Council of New Orleans EXCHANGE CENTRE GALLERY 935 Gravier Street, New Orleans, LA 70112 Featured Artists: Sean G. Clark, Jose Cotto, Amina D. Massey, Chriselda Pacheco, Rolando Palacio, Nik Richard and Ayo Scott. Curated by Fari Nzinga. Organized by Bottletree. Gallery Hours: Weekdays from 8:00am to 6:00pm On view May 4-30, 2017 - ADMISSION FREE |
“True, unfiltered freedom and deep democracy are far too revolutionary for this state, so radical and revolutionary critiques of systemic limitations are often dismissed as overly idealistic or a Utopian fantasy. But it is in the midst of the real-life nightmare that is the Trump administration that we should now — more than ever — be dreaming and striving to achieve something better.” William C Anderson & Zoe Samudzi in “The Anarchy of Blackness.” (Issue #5 Roar Magazine 2017)
This exhibition highlights the work of Black and Latinx artists living in New Orleans – and one in Austin, TX – who, through their art, are offering up visions of something better towards which to strive. In a time of great political uncertainty and unrest, the artists in Better Must Come are committed to honoring the history and culture of New Orleans while simultaneously pushing it forward.
The works on view capture a range of media – illustration, drawing, painting and photography – and a range of voices at once melancholy, humorous, irreverent and dignified. The everyday banalities of life are mined for their poetic complexities. The subjects of the work are humanized tenderly. The work prompts the viewer to wonder about the inner lives of both the artists and their subjects, and to consider the systems which serve to dehumanize them. It is a peculiar form of realism that emerges: challenging traditional notions of figurative representation and coupled with a renewed belief in art as a tool for mythmaking and truth-telling.
*Writer and photographer, Amina D. Massey will facilitate a Live ShotgunGriot.Com Podcast from 6:00 to 7:00pm with artists Chriselda Pacheco, Nik Richard, and curator Fari Nzinga. The group will discuss the theme of representation, the creative process and more.
*Special Thanks to Justine Bird, Amina D. Massey, Alphonse Smith, and Johnny Sánchez Restaurant for supporting our efforts.
This exhibition highlights the work of Black and Latinx artists living in New Orleans – and one in Austin, TX – who, through their art, are offering up visions of something better towards which to strive. In a time of great political uncertainty and unrest, the artists in Better Must Come are committed to honoring the history and culture of New Orleans while simultaneously pushing it forward.
The works on view capture a range of media – illustration, drawing, painting and photography – and a range of voices at once melancholy, humorous, irreverent and dignified. The everyday banalities of life are mined for their poetic complexities. The subjects of the work are humanized tenderly. The work prompts the viewer to wonder about the inner lives of both the artists and their subjects, and to consider the systems which serve to dehumanize them. It is a peculiar form of realism that emerges: challenging traditional notions of figurative representation and coupled with a renewed belief in art as a tool for mythmaking and truth-telling.
*Writer and photographer, Amina D. Massey will facilitate a Live ShotgunGriot.Com Podcast from 6:00 to 7:00pm with artists Chriselda Pacheco, Nik Richard, and curator Fari Nzinga. The group will discuss the theme of representation, the creative process and more.
*Special Thanks to Justine Bird, Amina D. Massey, Alphonse Smith, and Johnny Sánchez Restaurant for supporting our efforts.
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About the Curator:
Fari Nzinga earned her PhD in Cultural Anthropology in 2013 studying Black-led arts organizations and community rebuilding in the post-Katrina political economy. She presently works as an organizer, researcher, writer and educator in New Orleans. |
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Deep South by Suroeste showcases the diverse talent and advocacy of Black and Latinx artists in New Orleans and beyond. Deep South by Suroeste’s second exhibition is made possible with support from Arts Council of New Orleans, and The Color BLOC. Deep South by Suroeste is an initiative of Charitable Film Network a Louisiana nonprofit organization.
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The Arts Council of New Orleans provides Cultural Planning, Advocacy, Public Art, Economic Development, Arts Education, Marketing, and Grant and Service Initiatives focused on its vision of New Orleans as a flourishing international center for arts and culture.
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The Color BLOC nurtures and empowers a rising generation of creatives by providing a platform for information and resource-sharing amongst artists and arts professionals of color in the Greater New Orleans area.
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Shotgun Griot is a podcast featuring conversations with creative professionals who live and work in New Orleans, Louisiana. Host Amina Desselle interviews innovative artists working in various forms of creative expression, including musicians, visual artists, writers, actors, dancers, designers, comedians, and more. Each episode explores the guest’s personal journey and artistic vision.
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Charitable Film Network is a diverse group of media-makers, dedicated to connecting and collaborating with nonprofits, artists, and activists on projects that benefit the community at large.
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DSXSO Artist Salon
March 20th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm
Private Location TBA.
Organized by Dr. Fari Nzinga, Alphonse Smith, and The Color BLOC. Contact [email protected] for more details.
March 20th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm
Private Location TBA.
Organized by Dr. Fari Nzinga, Alphonse Smith, and The Color BLOC. Contact [email protected] for more details.
DSXSO Artist Salon
February 7th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm
Private Location TBA
Organized by Dr. Fari Nzinga, Alphonse Smith, and The Color BLOC. Contact [email protected] for more details.
February 7th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm
Private Location TBA
Organized by Dr. Fari Nzinga, Alphonse Smith, and The Color BLOC. Contact [email protected] for more details.
