#042 It Takes A Village: Curated by Akeem K. Duncan
The B Side 563 Grand Street February 8 - February 24, 2024
KATES-FERRI PROJECTS in partnership with Quiet Lunch is proud to present It Takes A Village curated by Akeem K. Duncan. The exhibition will be shown in the B-Side of the gallery, located at 563 Grand Street, NYC 10002, from February 7 to February 24, 2024, with a reception on Saturday, February 17th from 6-8pm.
In an endearing effort to celebrate Black artists during the month of February, Kates-Ferri Projects and Quiet Lunch have teamed up to present It Takes A Village. An intimate group exhibition curated by Akeem K. Duncan. Featuring a closely knitted roster of painters, sculptors and illustrators from all walks of life, It Takes A Village is a collective but candid snapshot of the current Black artist landscape. Consider this exhibition to be an early homecoming, staged with the intent of displaying our magic, watering our creative spirits, and strengthening our community.
It said that a teacher once conducted an experiment in which they filled the hallways with balloons. Each balloon had a student's name on it and the students were picked one at a time and given five minutes to find their balloon. However, despite the frantic search by each student selected, none of them were able to find their balloons.
Then the teacher told them to take the balloon closest to them and give it to the person whose name was on it. In less than two minutes, everyone was holding their own balloon. This is the purpose of It Takes A Village, help one another find our balloons and soar to new heights! These works stand not individually but together.
Artists include Ferguson Amo, Cavier, Damien Davis, Lewinale Havette, Troy Jones, Jess Owens-Young, Katarra Peterson, Jamel Robinson, and Nichole Washington. Each creative brings their unique paradigm that comes together to make a cohesive collage of the moving parts that represent the Black condition. This isn't an exhibition about struggle nor is it a display of oppression porn. It is a gesture of identity and humanity.
About the curator: Akeem K. Duncan Born in the South Bronx to West Indian parents, I am a hometown hero dedicated to the promotion and upliftment of burgeoning creatives. Although I have served as Art Director for Quiet Lunch since 2010, I first truly cut my teeth as a curator in 2014 while running a summer series at Michael Lyons Wier in Chelsea. Since then I have not looked back, organizing exhibitions in the Lower East Side, Bushwick, Harlem and the Hamptons.
After gaining experience in the traditional gallery environment, I eventually secured a position as Head Curator at The Yard Flatiron South; which has allowed me to enter the corporate realm of art curation. My curation style is best described as a versatile gesture capable of capturing and opening minds. In all, I believe that curators are a conduit between the audience and the creatives. The bridge that gets the point across. With 11 years of experience under my belt, I could not be happier doing my part in this wonderful existential ecosystem that we call art.