With the start of the Spring semester comes the first art exhibition featured on campus. On Feb. 9, the San Diego Mesa College Art Gallery hosted the reception for “Impressions: African American artists and their connection to African Art.” The reception was attended by the co-curators of the exhibition, artists whose artworks are featured in it, and others who attended the event to simply appreciate the artwork.
The exhibition is co-curated by Denise Rogers and art gallery director Alessandra Moctezuma. It offers a variety of pieces that represent both present and historical takes on the African American experience.
The theme of the art exhibit is centered around the unity of historic and modern-day African art. Moctezuma shared the exhibition was an idea proposed by Rogers, her goal being to “incorporate artists working today that are inspired by African Art.”
Featured artwork includes those of artists Andrea Chung, Kenyatta A.C. Hinkle and Robert Pruitt. Along with these three artists, several artifacts from the San Diego Mesa College African Art Collection are displayed throughout the exhibition.
At the reception, viewers were greeted with the San Diego Mesa College World Music Ensemble, who showed they have a variety of skills through playing African music just outside of the gallery. The music contributed to the overall atmosphere of the exhibition and aided viewers in connecting with the true background of the art.
Inside the exhibition, the walls are lined with different pieces of art created by the three featured artists. Each artist has their own section inside where all of their pieces are hung. Hinkle, one of the artists, said one of the goals of her artwork is to “create a visual of these things and feelings that you can’t put into words.”
Hinkle’s visual display included a video sectioned off in a corner of the room that showed two people interacting with each other in an empty space with a double-headed noose tied around them both. She shared that she taught herself how to make a noose, which adds an even greater impact to the film that she created.
Throughout the middle of the room, a few artifacts from the African Art Collection are set up. These pieces work to compliment the surrounding art in the room, bringing out certain similarities all of the artists share while still maintaining their own unique style.
“Impressions: African American artists and their connection to African Art” will be available for viewing until March 1. The exhibition is displayed in room D101, the Art Gallery on campus, and is free of charge. Gallery hours are Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m.-4 p.m., and Thursdays 1-8 p.m. The gallery will be closed on Fridays, weekends, national and school holidays.
