By Dias Dobson, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture  

On Sunday June 15, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture will say farewell to its three current exhibitions, I See You: The Politics of Being; Question Bridge: Black Males; and African American Art Since 1950: Perspectives of the David C. Driskell Center.

These three exhibits – while all very different, from medium to aesthetic — all seek to initiate conversation and provoke true thought and engagement with the art. Some are more literal than others at conveying their message; however each asks you to take a moment to look through a perspective that may differ from your own.

I See You: The Politics of Being isan exhibition organized by the Harvey B. Gantt Center and features the work of six contemporary artists who focus on the constructs of female identity in the 21st century. This exhibition asks you to examine how women of the African Diaspora are seen, from their perspective and through the eyes of others. Whether through implications of the body, or figurative representations of women, this mixed-media exhibition explores the artists’ desires to deconstruct and redefine history, identity and culture.

Question Bridge: Black Males is avideo installation asking you to consider the varying mindsets, experiences, and personalities of the black male in America. An intimate and, most importantly, genuine experience, this exhibition provides new opportunities for understanding and healing. By exposing the public to more complex and multi-faceted images and narratives of African-American men, the hope is to create conversations geared toward overcoming the negative associations that directly impact the ability of Black males to function successfully in America.

African American Art Since 1950: Perspectives of the David C. Driskell Center is an exhibition that showcases the work of various pioneering and well established artists, alongside pieces by new up and coming talent. This group of artists collectively reflects the growing importance and complexity of African American art over the last 60 years, allowing the viewer to reexamine and reconsider their definition of art history.

Be sure to make it to the Harvey Gantt Center by June 15^th to witness these perspective-altering exhibitions. True to its mission, the Gantt Center hopes that viewing these exhibitions will ignite engagement and conversations that inspire, empower and enlighten.

Question Bridge Discussion. Photo courtesy of the Harvey B. Gantt Center.