Exhibit celebrates Black female artists at Brooklyn gallery

SUNSET PARK, Brooklyn (PIX11) – Black History Month is a time to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across US history and society, from activists and civil rights pioneers to legends living today.

But it is also a time to shine a spotlight on emerging black female artists.

That’s exactly what is happening at the Tanya Weddemire Gallery in Industry City in an exhibit that focuses on black female storytellers and their shared experiences.

This exhibit, “I Got a Story to Tell,” features four black female artists from around the country.

It is curated by Tatianna Mack who was inspired by the strength and resilience of her Brooklyn grandmother, Etta Mack Johnson, and her great-grandmother, Estelle Mack.

“From the stories I heard, she was a strong woman, tenacious just like me,” Tatianna Mack, the curator, said. “As a Black woman, we are put in a box, but we can do anything our heart desires.” 

Brittney Price, based in Los Angeles, created this triptych called “Sis.”

Artist Lex Marie in Washington DC created “The Measure of a Man” as she worries about school shootings and the safety of her seven-year-old son.

“That piece is a machine gun made of rulers, and I made it because I want to bring awareness to school shootings and the normalization of school shootings in the American public school system,” Lex Marie, the artist, told PIX11 News.

Blu Murphy, a teacher and artist also from DC, created this redlining series.

“The redline which is piercing through the eyes of my students can be blinding as far as their futures are concerned,” Blu Murphy, the artist, told PIX11 News. “It is a real reminder that educational inequality and lack of resources based on zip codes can be blinding as far as their futures are concerned.” 

This gallery was founded by Tanya Weddemire to give voice to those often not heard and to encourage people to buy their art.

The prices of these pieces range from $4,500 to just under $8,000.

“Buying art is for everyone, not for one specific group,” Tanya Weddemire, the founder and CEO of the Tanya Weddemire Art Gallery, told PIX11 News. “We should embody art as a sacred place in our heart.”

The “I Got a Story to Tell” exhibit will be at the Tanya Weddemire Gallery in Industry City from Wednesday through Sunday until March 8.