by Katie Holton
What is Art Spoken? Art Spoken is a term that allows artists in minorities, or artists who create things under controversial topics, a chance to showcase their art. An “Art Spoken” exhibition is open from January 10th-February 9th in the Dedo Maranville Art Gallery. The theme for this “Art Spoken” exhibition is a celebration of black art and artists. This was stated on the Gallery’s Instagram page; however, it was stated in the juror’s statement by Olivia Richardson that the exhibition was inclusive to everyone. Therefore, there was a wide range of artists featured in the gallery. One such artist is Aimee Fresia who creates art based on controversial topics, which can be seen on her Instagram page, and her painting Running Away is Always a Possibility was featured in the gallery. There were also artworks by Larry Sheffields, Study of a Kintuar-1, and A’Shadrian Claytons, Eden, who represented the theme of African American artists and art.
When walking into the gallery there was not any specific layout to the art, so there was not a particular order in which to look at the exhibit. Art lined the left and right walls of the gallery, towards the back wall there was a large sculpture, and towards the right side corner there was a ceramic piece. All of the works were well lit, and even though the ceramic piece was in a dark corner it was intentional by the artist, so that the piece lit up more clearly. All of the artworks were labeled with the names of the artist, and some artists had statements that were found at the front desk of the gallery.
Aimee Fresia is an artist that touches on many controversial topics in their work like political views, past trauma, and feminism. Fresia’s paintings were on the right side of the gallery, and they had two paintings that were accepted into the show. Fresia’s painting, Running Away is Always Possible, consists of a acrylic painted background with ink prints of leaves cascading around the edges of the painting. The title, Running Away is Always a Possibility, suggests that the artwork touches on possible trauma within a home, and the feeling of wanting to run away from a situation or person. It definitely fits under the “Art Spoken” theme as a whole, and from the admission of this painting it shows that the show decided to be more inclusive rather than just have African American artists.
When comparing Fresia’s art to Larry Sheffields, Study of a Kintuar-1,and A’Shadrian Clayton’s Eden they both seem to revolve more around the theme that was stated on the gallery’s Instagram page. These paintings are easily identifiable as African American representation. Sheffield’s painting consists of a centaur like creature, but it has the body of a zebra with dark skin. Therefore, this artwork seems to take on mythology with added African American representation. Clayton’s piece depicts a black man painted on a mirror with greenery between the shattered glass pieces. The pink and purple colors of this painting make it feel sensual, and the title, Eden, relays the message of the pleasures of the garden of Eden. These two paintings take on different themes like how Sheffield’s seems to revolve around a mythical creature from Africa, or how Clayton’s focuses on the beauty of the African American male from a sensual point of view.
These three paintings show the difference between what was chosen to be shown in the gallery. Fresia’s work showed the more inclusive side of Art Spoken, whereas Sheffield and Clayton’s work showed the diverse side. The juror decided to pick artworks that were inclusive to everyone, and this created an exhibition that applied to many themes. In the show there were paintings that touched on not only African American culture, but also controversial topics like protest and the LGBTQ community. The theme of Art Spoken was a success in providing both inclusivity and diversity.
Work Cited
“Art Spoken: Valdosta National 2024.” Art Spoken | Valdosta National 2024 – Valdosta State University. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.valdosta.edu/colleges/arts/art/gallery/current-exhibition.php.