Release Date: December 11,2023
Akron Soul Train Features Double Exhibition in Downtown Akron
Exhibits are free and open to the public on Friday, January 5 through Friday, February 10, 2024
December 11, 2023, Akron, Ohio—Akron Soul Train Features Double Exhibition in Downtown Akron.
Gina Washington’s Visual Art Examines Black American Identity through Nursery Rhymes
Gina Washington’s exhibit “Universal Child” explores fairy tales and children’s stories passed through generations that have supplanted an illusion of “American identity” and the understanding of the Black experience. “Universal Child” uncovers the connections between lore and how to survive, and examines the notion of “identity” within a society full of contradictions. Namely, a nation on the cusp of understanding systemic racism as a public health crisis yet continuing to bury the truth of its history.
Washington creates images to illustrate the children’s poem “Monday’s Child” using large-scale canvases of family portraits, collages, hand-weaving, screenprinting, and embedded augmented reality. A deeply personal and universal appeal to the viewer, Washington’s show not only speaks to a perpetuated narrative of inclusive exclusion but ultimately to acceptance of oneself through the understanding that certain ideals are unattainable outside of one’s culture.
“I work with themes connected to childhood sayings and fairy tales that influenced my upbringing and others…Cautionary tales, fortune predictors, and morality stories guided parents in raising children. In the Western tradition, these stories supplanted identity and the understanding of the Black experience… Each story in the canon of the Black experience has a ripple effect, revealing and shedding its layers while uncovering the layers that demonstrate resilience. We, Black folks, must humanize our experiences despite the opposition that tries to prove we don't matter. “Universal Child” dispels one tradition of influence, allowing another to emerge free from and despite the Western headset… All roads to understanding through art are necessary.”
— Gina Washington
An opening reception for Gina Washington’s “Universal Child” will be held at Akron Soul Train Gallery on Friday, January 5, from 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM. The exhibit is free and open to the public from January 5 - February 10, 2024, in the Burton D. Morgan Exhibition Space.
About the artist Gina Washington:
Gina Washington was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated with an MFA in Photography from Ohio University. In 2023, she joined the Transformative Arts Committee in Cleveland. Founder of Mateza Gallery LLC online, Washington is also the master collaborator and cofounder of The Visit Arts Collective. She desires to bring clarity and offer solutions to the chaos in the world through art and to make art accessible to all people, especially the disenfranchised and underrepresented in the global community.
Artist Nyki Fetterman’s “MYSTICISM | BETWEEN” Illuminates Small Fragments of Hope
Artist Nyki Fetterman accents the often-overlooked joyful and fleeting moments in the chaos of every day in her show “MYSTICISM | BETWEEN.” These could be catching someone’s smile, listening carefully to the words of a friend, or examining an interaction in a new way. Through mixed media, including found objects, paintings, drawings, fibers, and more, Fetterman presents a poetic meditation on sacred moments that could be easy to miss like finding a tiny love note to oneself or having a mystical revelation of a greater connection.
“My work pokes fun at power imbalances and problems with late-stage capitalism, failed attempts at squashing queer joy, and the feeling of constantly trudging two steps forward and one step back, the prevailing narrative is one of radical care, intention, and delight. Through juxtaposing sharp and critical politicism with mystical symbolism, personal narrative, and hopeful rhetoric, the goal of this work is to give light and comfort to a battle between good and evil. Good always prevails here.” – Nyki Fetterman
An opening reception for Nyki Fetterman’s “MYSTICISM | BETWEEN” will be held at Akron Soul Train Gallery on Friday, January 5, from 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM. The exhibit is free and open to the public January 5 - February 10, 2024, in the CapSOUL Gallery.
About the artist Nyki Fetterman:
Nyki Fetterman is a mixed-media artist, designer, and educator living in Kent, OH. When she’s not making art, she can be found in the woods, looking at bugs, collecting rocks, or foraging. Nyki has exhibited work at Praxis Fiber Workshop, Waterloo Arts Gallery, The Hildebrandt, and various other regional galleries. Fetterman currently has works at Hazel Tree Gallery, the Canton Museum of Art, and Zeber-Martell Studios.
About Akron Soul Train:
Akron Soul Train is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and promoting the arts in Akron, Ohio. Through artist residencies, exhibitions, and community engagement initiatives, Akron Soul Train provides resources and opportunities for artists to explore their creativity and contribute to the cultural richness of the region.
For more information about these shows, visit our website and events page at www.akronsoultrain.org or contact Pita Brooks, Executive Director at pita@akronsoultrain.org.