The Opera Galleria was filled with splashes of vibrant colors and vivid textures that evoke emotion and tell a unique and expansive story. Through diverse forms of art, from paintings to delicate jewelry, The Beauty of Blackness Fine Art Show highlighted the work of Black and African American artists and how their rich cultural heritage is not confined to one form of art.
Running Sept. 5-8, this exhibition exclusively displayed original, one-of-a-kind artwork, giving more recognition to Black American culture.
The display pushed the barriers of how society commonly defines African American culture, breaking out of the confining box.
Louise Cutler is the founder and co-creator of the gallery and has highlighted the importance of presenting Black American artists as versatile as opposed to confining them to one genre of art. She said this show holds a purpose in emphasizing cultural awareness to develop cultural acceptance.
“There (are) different aspects of our cultural heritage that are beautiful, and being able to share that with the world (is beautiful),” Cutler said. “I feel that we’ve been robbed of the experience of being able to share our cultural heritage because there (are) so many things in society that have their own net. It’s not about staying (in that net) because Black American art is American art.”
Cutler has been working toward spotlighting Black American culture in its diverse art forms, dedicating a section for each artist and making their presence in the Fort Collins community more known. She said locals would get to interact with the artists, connecting with them and understanding important parts of their identity.
Angela Gibson is one of the artists in the show and found a creative passion in making jewelry after her deployment in Afghanistan, allowing her to express herself in a relaxing and unique way.
At the exhibit, she brought more of her minimalistic and simple jewelry, including a necklace made from larimar nuggets and a flower agate necklace with a statement pendant. She said she loves how she can develop such diverse, unique styles while also staying true to her sense of self.
“The Beauty of Blackness Show is really helping put black artists out there,” Gibson said. “And not just art as, like, paintings or drawings but art in every facet with jewelry, sculpting and just anything that you can do with your hands. … It’s important that we keep expressing and making art so that it stays part of history.”
Chavez Chavo is Cutler’s son and one of the primary contributors to the Efilaf Art Department. Observing what his mother was doing in the art industry fueled his passion and heightened his desire to express his own observations through his work. His pieces at the show utilized vibrant, expressive colors, which he attributed to urban elements that encourage interpretation among the audience.
“When I create, I want to make something that’s visually appealing,” Chavo said. “I want to make something that people can enjoy looking at.”
Many of the pieces in the exhibit were a reflection of the artists’ emotions, vulnerability and culture through unique elements like soft brush strokes, multidimensional sculptural pieces, textures and drawn black and white portraits that resemble photographs.
Cutler said she anticipates that this exhibit will only continue to grow and flourish as the fine arts show expands to bring in more artists to demonstrate how beautiful their heritage is. She said she hopes they can cultivate a thriving community in Fort Collins, attracting individuals to support local and regional artists.
“We’re here to share,” Cutler said. “We share our hearts, our feelings, and so to be able to share your cultural heritage with other people, that is beauty within itself.”
Reach Sananda Chandy at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.