Anthony Gallery’s GUMBO Reflects Rich Mix of Black and African Cultures

[cover image, Renell Medrano Holy Water, 2023. Archival pigment print. Anthony Gallery.]

The new exhibition, available for public viewing through August 26, showcases the unique perspectives, cultural expressions, and profound narratives that emerge from the spectrum of African diaspora and Black experiences.

“GUMBO is about showing the diversity of experiences as a Black artist,” Easy Otabor states. “Each artist offers a unique lens through which we can explore the complexities and nuances of Black narratives.”

The new collection features an assortment of mediums and styles, with artists (hailing from both Africa and from across the African diaspora) “navigating themes of identity, history, social justice, and personal journeys, offering powerful insights into their lives and communities,” according to a gallery-issued press release.

In 2022, Anthony Gallery completed a well-recieved curatorial residency at Theaster Gates’s world-renowned Stony Island Arts Bank, presenting an exhibition titled ‘Is where it’s at!’. The show featured the work of Chicago-based Nigerian American artist Adeshola Makinde. Much of Makinde’s work draws from collages of images from 20th Century Black American publications such as Ebony and Jet. Notably, the Johnson Library, housed at Stony Island Arts Bank, was originally assembled by Ebony/Jet publishers Johnson Publishing Company as a reference tool, and also houses archives of their publications.

Makinde’s work is also on display in GUMBO, including a piece titled “is beauty power (2023)”.

The exhibition will be open to the public until August 26, 2023 at Anthony Gallery, located at 1360 W. Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607. Admission is free. Visitors are encouraged to come and explore the works on display.

For more information about the exhibition and the artists featured, please visit the Anthony Gallery website or contact info@anthony.gallery.

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