Black And Free: New Art at THEMUSEUM

Dr. Naila Keleta-Mae’s Black And Free research-creation project features Ontario-based Black artists Beck Deresse, Ken Daley, Miss Coco Murray, Simone Patricia, Suritah Wignall, and Tafui at THEMUSEUM in Kitchener during February and March. The artists have been commissioned to create original work in the medium of their choice on the topic of blackness and freedom. Each artist’s work tells a unique story that explores the multifaceted experiences of blackness and freedom through historic and contemporary lenses. Please join us in-person by RSVPing via the details links below for each event, or join online on YouTube (with closed captions) for conversations featuring a different artist and their new artwork each Wednesday.

Black And Free: New Art events on Wednesdays at THEMUSEUM

February 8, 6:30 pm | Ken Daley — Moko Jumbies

Ken Daley is an award-winning artist/illustrator, who is known for his use of bold colours, and authentic details to depict Black Life in all its iterations. He works in various medias such as oils, acrylics, and digital. As part of the Black and Free: New Art series, his exhibition piece Moko Jumbies, explores Carnival as expression of Blackness and freedom while playing homage to enslaved and freed African ancestors. Moko Jumbies details.

February 15, 6:30 pm | Simone Patricia — Project Pat

Afro – Caribbean artist Simone Patricia is a contemporary abstract/realist artist from the Waterloo Region. As part of the Black and Free: New Art Work series, her exhibition piece Project Pat is a depiction of Black Renaissance. The artwork showcases the beauty of and glorifies the “projects” and “ghettos.” The purpose of this project is to show the true beauty of these places through the people that come from said places. Project Pat details.

March 1, 6:30 pm | Miss Coco Murray — Un ‘loc’ de riddims in meh body

Collette “Coco” Murray is a dance educator, cultural arts programmer, mentor, and arts consultant. As part of the Black and Free: New Art series, her exhibition and performance Un ‘loc’ de riddims in meh body, is a visual movement journey where dance photography visually amplifies how a body in geopolitical spaces across the Afrodisapora can exist, claim, and sustain nuances of being Afrodescendant. The rooted connections to carnival, culturally significant practices, training, and intellectual discourse represents ways this melanated, dancing body liberates in conversation with cultures. Un ‘loc’ de riddims in meh body details.

March 8, 6:30 pm | Suritah Wignall — Mai ba da labari

Afro-Caribbean Canadian artist Suritah Teresa Wignall is a passionate communicator who uses her exuberant, colourful paintings to pay homage to her cultural roots. As part of the Black and Free: New Art series, her exhibition piece Mai ba da labari (The Storyteller) is a legacy painting of Goggo (Grandma), telling the story of her journey and how she ended up in Jamaica. Goggo’s Soyayya (love) pushes through. We listen, because our freedom is her. Our freedom, depends on us understanding our past. Mai ba da labari details.

March 15, 6:30 pm | TAFUI – Typeface

TAFUI is an educator, designer and painter. Her paintings are inspired by deconstructing cultures into their base elements and symbols, looking for the similarities and relationships they share. As part of the Black and Free: New Art series, she will be sharing the progress on the original typeface design for the Black and Free project that she is creating in collaboration with BAF partner Studio Otherness. Typeface details.