Award-winning art historian to discuss Black art and memory during exhibition panel at Southern University
Acclaimed art historian, curator and contemporary art critic Cheryl Finley, Ph.D., will join Southern University and A&M College for a panel discussion Wednesday, Aug. 19, as part of the closing reception for "Free as They Want to Be: Artists Committed to Memory," a multisite exhibition exploring memory, freedom and the African diaspora.
Finley, the Walton Endowed Professor and director of the Atlanta University Center Art History and Curatorial Studies Collective at Spelman College, co-curated "Free as They Want to Be" with Deborah Willis, Ph.D. Her research focuses on contemporary African diaspora art, photography, museums and visual culture. Finley is the award-winning author of "Committed to Memory: The Art of the Slave Ship Icon," which examines the ways the image of the slave ship has been used and remembered in contemporary art and visual culture.
Finley will participate in a panel discussion on Wednesday, Aug. 19 from 4-5 p.m in the Frank Hayden Theater on Southern's campus. The discussion will be followed by the exhibition's closing reception from 5-7 p.m. in the Frank Hayden Visual Arts Gallery.
The reception will feature a special performance by students from Roxi Victorian's Dance Ensemble and live music from Southern's Music Department. Food and refreshments will also be provided. Both events are free and open to the public.
Among the featured artists are Randell Henry, associate professor of art at Southern University; John Alleyne, assistant professor of fine and applied arts at Southern University; Bisa Butler; and Malaika Favorite.
"Free as They Want to Be" presents contemporary art inspired by historical memory and examines the historic and contemporary role photography and film have played in remembering the legacies of slavery. The exhibition also explores personal freedom and the social lives of a diverse group of Americans across places including the land, home, photographic albums, historic sites and public memory.
The exhibition explores themes of migration, identity and the African diaspora. It originated at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center as part of the 2022 FotoFocus Biennial in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has since traveled across the United States before coming to Louisiana's capital city.
The exhibition is being presented through Aug. 23 through a partnership among Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge Gallery – Center for Contemporary Art and the West Baton Rouge Museum. Admission to the exhibition and its related programs is free and open to the public.
Exhibition Hours
Southern University and A&M College
Frank Hayden Visual Arts Gallery
8229 Elton C. Harrison Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70813
Monday-Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Baton Rouge Gallery – Center for Contemporary Art
1515 Dalrymple Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Tuesday-Sunday, noon-6 p.m.
West Baton Rouge Museum
845 N. Jefferson Ave.
Port Allen, LA 70767
Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Sunday, 2-5 p.m.
For more information about the exhibition, featured artists and special events, visit batonrougegallery.org/fatwtb.