REVISITING BLACK HISTORY IN CANADA

AFRICAN CANADIAN HISTORY

BY: ANNISSA MALVOISIN

African Canadian history is equal to African Canadian experience. History is constant, and in order to be relevant, this column will also address contemporary histories. Trust me, you'll love me for it.

Reflecting upon such a diverse community of history and culture in Canada, a focus on experience gives me the freedom to share interesting topics, events, and stories beginning with the Scratch & Mix Project at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). This past summer, emerging artists from the Black community across the Greater Toronto Area competed in a youth art competition launched by the Michaëlle Jean Foundation. The winners were then given the opportunity to showcase their work at the Scratch & Mix exhibition at the AGO.

Winners! (Image Source)

I thought that this exhibition would be an excellent entrance into locally revisiting contemporary Black histories. This was a powerful project which brought together members of various communities through art and culture. The individual winners of the competition come from diverse backgrounds with extraordinarily unique talents. Consequently, the exhibition was greatly diverse, not only culturally but artistically and critically. A friend who attended the exhibit summed it up perfectly: 

"It was a very diverse exhibit that featured immigrant children from Africa and the Caribbean and addressed themes of love, loss, blackness as a thing we see (i.e skin), colonialism, etc. And it heavily featured the artists' friends and their own lived experiences so it was more of a look inwards (rather than them studying or commenting on another person's Black experience, they focused on their own). At the same time it didn't claim to represent the entirety of all Black experiences/didn't say 'blackness in Canada is this specific thing' making it more authentic in my opinion. It was good! Alhamdulilah!" (Female, 22).

"Outsiders" by winner Olyseye. The piece dismantles the idea of the Black male and his over-representation in contemporary society. (Image Source)

Continuing on the topic that curator Melana Roberts left us with during the interview, I am a supporter of grassroots efforts and collaboration between cultural institutions and the community. Therefore you can imagine how my heart smiled when I learned of the exhibition, its goals, and its partners. The show itself was quite moving, and the artists beautifully communicated profound messages of their own experiences within their communities. Further, it was concurrent with the Jean-Michel Basquait: Now's the Time (my heart is smiling) exhibit at the AGO. Both exhibitions provided the space to address Black experience in two different regional contexts while allowing the visitor to engage with the artistic medium. If you happened to miss the Scratch & Mix exhibition, the project is an ongoing research initiative, and promises future events that focus on the arts as a vehicle of empowering the voices of Black youth.

 

If you did catch them, I would love to hear what you thought about both the Basquiat: Now's the Time and the Scratch & Mix exhibitions. Comment below!

BASQUIAT: NOW'S THE TIME

EXHIBITION REVIEW

BY: KATIE WILSON

Hailed as one of the most important artists of the 21^st century, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s art is currently on display at the AGO in the exhibit, Now’s the Time, on until May 7.

Unfortunately the AGO does not allow photography in this exhibit, so you will have to bear with me. I've nabbed some of these photos from BlogTO. For those unfamiliar with Basquiat’s work, some pieces are available on the AGO exhibit website.

In his early days as a street artist Basquiat was always dismayed at the fact that there were no black artists or representations of Black bodies in art museums. 

"I think there are a lot of people who are neglected in art. Black people are never really portrayed realistically, not even portrayed in modern art." - Jean-Michel Basquiat 

In his paintings he began tackling the issues of racism, class struggle and social tension. He painted to represent the Black bodies that he believed were so glaringly missing from art galleries.

Untitled (Skull) By Jean-Michel Basquiat 

Basquiat’s art remains powerful today, especially with spreading the message that Black Lives Matter. Throughout the exhibition which meanders through a number of rooms, quotes appear from Black artists, musicians, and political figures fitting into this theme of empowering Black lives and bodies. Strains of Charlie Parker welcomes you into the gallery and in one area, Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a Dream Speech Plays,” and echoes throughout the space. 

A series of collaborative works created by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol. 

In continuing to drive this message home, throughout the gallery are excerpts from prominent African-American/Canadian artists, professors, curators, and museum professionals, who write about what Basquiat’s work means to them. It really sheds light on his work and the way he has affected people personally. At the end of the exhibit (after walking through the gift shop) there is an interactive area where gallery visitors are invited to film, or write down their responses to the exhibit and what Basquiat’s work means to them.

Interactive Space at the end of the Exhibit 

On a personal level I liked this exhibit, but was a bit disappointed that his relationship with Suzanne, his muse, was not mentioned once. I just finished reading Widow Basquiat, and was really looking forward to seeing her influence in his art. I do understand however that the goal of this exhibit is about representing the Black body in art, and his paintings of Suzanne do not necessarily fit into this.

The story of Jean-Michel Basquiat and his lover/muse Suzanne

Overall it is a powerful experience and I think that everyone gets something different out of it. The exhibit is on until May 7, and with the weather warming up, I highly recommend going.