LYNN — The city showed out in full support for the opening of the “Black History Month: A Celebration of Black Excellence” art exhibit at Lynn Museum/LynnArts on Friday.
The main gallery was packed with attendees eager to set their eyes on different pieces showcasing the contributions of local Black artists.
Mayor Jared Nicholson was in attendance and opened the event with a message.
“It is such an honor to be here on behalf of the City of Lynn to recognize the excellence there is in the city, specifically the Black excellence in honor of Black History Month,” Nicholson said. “When you are thinking about the role of art in the community and the role it plays in people’s lives, it can be such a nice opportunity to forge different connections and different relationships.”
Nicholson presented official certificates of appreciation from his office to each artist in attendance in celebration of Black History Month.
The first artist to accept the certificate was Wendy Ekole, whose pieces at the exhibit featured different animals, such as a zebra and a giraffe. Her art was full of vibrant colors and various elements of nature.
“This season I was into animals, but I wanted to pick animals that aren’t typical, that were very exotic and kind of distant from us,” Ekole said. “As a Black artist, I feel like it’s a form of expression, all of us here, we all have a different story to tell.”
Local artist Dionys sang two songs — one about the lack of love and one about the celebration of love.
“What better songs to sing than these two songs that honestly have been theme songs throughout my life,” Dionys said. “I felt like it was appropriate for the scene, we’re here to celebrate love for art, music, history, everything that we represent, and here it is.”
Lynn Museum/LynnArts Executive Director Doneeca Thurston-Chavez said the best way to understand the experience of artists is to showcase their work.
“I think exhibits like this are a unique opportunity for people to really get an insight into not only the cultural diversity but the talent that exists in our community and our city,” Thurston-Chavez said.
Lynn Arts and Culture Planner LaCrecia Thomson said the arts help to boost humanity and the empathy of people toward one another.
“It provides us with shared experiences. There’s so much divisiveness in the world, all over the world, and the arts is such a great way to bring people together,” Thomson said. “This is just the tip of the iceberg, this city is just full of talent all over the place, but to have an opportunity to showcase Black artists is really special because I think it puts a spotlight on artists that may not get this kind of recognition.”
Karen Johnson’s piece at the exhibit, “Talking to the Gods,” deals with finding solace.
“Things are so crazy these days, in terms of social justice, in terms of homelessness, housing, just any number of issues, and I think if you’re not able to find a place for you to just rest and gather your thoughts, take a step back and take a deep breath… to make the world a better place, find that spot,” Johnson said.
KIPP Academy senior Elisha Torres said that she incorporates her favorite colors into her art. Red, she said, makes her feel passionate and confident, while blue gives her a calm feeling.
Her piece “Moment of Warmth” portrays a lesbian couple.
“That speaks to a part of my identity because I identify as queer, and so I wanted to bring more identities into this space, so I added that into the exhibit,” Torres said.
For her “Truth in Red” piece, Torres delved into her experience with spirituality, specifically Christianity.
“It was complex and there were negative experiences there, but I dealt with that through art,” she said.
Father-son duo Ellery Sanchez and Ellery Sanchez II, 13, showcased their photography at the exhibit. They visit many locations to capture images of nature, and their photographs of a dandelion and blue heron were on display.
Averth Samson’s art is inspired by the “vibration” of his homeland, Haiti. He said that he likes to feature tropical themes in his paintings, one of which portrays a rainforest.
Galleries at LynnArts (GALA) Director and President Annette Sykes announced toward the end of the night that the exhibit had already sold $1,000 worth of art.
“All of you are our collectors and GALA is uniquely positioned,” Sykes said.
