I Got a Story to Tell: The Artists Rewriting Our Future At Tanya Weddemire Gallery
I AM ART
|
I AM ART |
FEB. 1 - MAR. 8, 2025
I GOT A STORY TO TELL :
TANYA WEDDEMIRE GALLERY
CURATED BY TATIANNA MACK
Blu Murphy - School Desk | Photo - Drishana Nicole
“I AM ART.” These words, introduced with confidence and assurance, welcomed visitors as they stepped into Tanya Weddemire Gallery for its first exhibition of 2025, ‘I GOT A STORY TO TELL.’ Embedded in Blu Murphy's mixed-media works, this declaration resonated throughout the gallery space, reinforcing that everything within these walls is art, from the curated works to the people who experience them and the narratives they convey.
Curated by Tatianna Mack, Art Liaison of Tanya Weddemire Gallery, ‘I GOT A STORY TO TELL’ showcases the works of four visionary artists—Blu Murphy, Brittney S. Price, Kaylyn Webster, and Lex Marie—who illuminate the diverse and layered stories of Black women through intricate compositions and evocative materials. Inspired by her maternal grandmother, Etta Mack Johnson, Mack envisioned this exhibition as a tribute to collective memory and shared journeys.
Photos - Drishana Nicole
“I want viewers to experience and honor the powerful traditions of storytelling, leaving with a feeling of empowerment and a deeper appreciation for voices that often go unheard.”
This sentiment encapsulates the exhibition's kinetic energy, as visitors engaged with each other and connected with the artists, realizing the power of art as a vessel for preserving and amplifying the voices of Black women across generations.
Themes of ancestral resilience, platonic love, educational literacy, and the rich complexities of identity blossomed throughout the gallery, evoking viewers of all ages to admire the work as a mirror of American society.
Blu Murphy's mixed media works assemble repurposed materials by applying collage techniques to construct narratives where history and the present converge, granting viewers access to what's to come. Murphy's compositions feature striking black-and-white photography of her students and historical figures—some dressed in tailored suits or T-shirts, others in shirtwaist dresses and Jordan 1 sneakers.
Blu Murphy - We Them Ones: We Ain’t Going Back, 2025, 36” x 40” ; Walking The Redline, 2024, 36” x 40” ; Class President, 2024, 35” x 48” ; Title One Schools, 2024, 36” x 46” | Photo - Drishana Nicole
“The red line of quilted fabric that covers my subjects’ eyes represents the educational trap created by redlining in low-income Black communities. The upcycled, fabric-wrapped frames reflect the emotional journey of disenfranchised individuals, who often feel discarded and undervalued.”
The interplay between what was and what can be is an integral and unifying element of ‘I GOT A STORY TO TELL.’
Sis, a vibrant triptych by Brittney S. Price, embraces and visualizes the forms of seven Black women in moments of vulnerability, leaning on each other. “I want to capture the tension between remembering and evolving. I employ bold hues of blue and red acrylic paint to signify the perceived states of human blood in the context of oxidation, juxtaposed against a radiant yellow backdrop symbolizing hope,” Price expressed.
Brittney S. Price - Sis, 2024 36” x 48” (each) | Photo - Drishana Nicole
Viewers reflected on the inception of the New Year as they studied the Sankofa Adinkra symbol layered in Price’s work, feeling intense emotions of sorrow and optimism as they envisaged the months ahead.
Photos - Drishana Nicole
Kaylyn Webster's mixed media works, intricately saturated with realistic details of depth, offer an intimate analysis of societal bonds and perceptions. Utilizing earth-toned oil paints and embellishments of feathers and embroidery, Webster crafts personal portraits inspired by her life and those close to her to evince the trials and triumphs of generational cycles.
"In the gazes of my subjects, there is an acknowledgment of the pain and scars they and their ancestors have endured, along with a confrontation of their troubled history and the judgments they face," Webster communicates in her artist statement.
Kaylyn Webster - Hope and A Prayer, 2024, 48” x 36” ; Sankofa (Carl), 2024, 48” x 24” | Photo - Drishana Nicole
Her works also entail red cardinals, blue eagles, and flora, reminiscent of the hope and resilience found within nature, our ancestors, and intrinsically ourselves.
Guiding viewers to examine their educational histories and the systemic structures they live within, Lex Marie presents an unconventional approach to storytelling, reimagining everyday materials. Marie's attentive reconstruction of rulers, ropes, graduation cords, children's clothing, and coded color palettes are revolutionized into instruments for dialogue. Inspired by her seven-year-old son, Marie explores themes of gun violence and the adultification of children within school systems.
Lex Marie - Honors History, 2024, 40” x 20” ; The Measure of A Man, 2023, 42” x 10” ; You Gotta A Pencil?, 2024, 24” x 24” | Photo - Tatianna Mack
“By presenting complex issues in a visually accessible way, I empower young audiences to engage with the art, fostering a sense of connection and understanding through vibrant colors, imaginative compositions, and relatable themes.”
‘I GOT A STORY TO TELL,’ is a celebration of community, culture, and legacy. It is a powerful reminder that “we should hold and embody art as a sacred place in our heart” shared, gallery founder and CEO, Tanya Weddemire in an interview with PIX11 News.
Blu Murphy, Brittney S. Price, Kaylyn Webster, and Lex Marie construct a collective archive of Black experiences exerting their distinctive artistic voices, mastery of materials, and layered storytelling to:
HONOR YESTERDAY, RESOLVE TODAY, AND REWRITE TOMORROW.
Blu Murphy - Redline Series | Photo - Drishana Nicole
Curated by Tatianna Mack, explore ‘I GOT A STORY TO TELL,’ an inspiring exhibition at Tanya Weddemire Gallery on view until March 8, 2025.
