BE THEREIf It Ain't BrokePresented by Gallery 138 February 8, 2007- March 9, 2007Reception: February 8 - 8:00 pmSheila Pree Bright, Kianga Ford, Jessica Ingram, Satch Hoyt, William Downs, Brookie Maxwell, Stephanie Dinkins, Francks Deceus, Terry BoddieCoinciding with National Black History month, IF IT AINT BROKE is a darkly ironic exhibition by a group of provocative artists attracting international attention.A mix of photography, paintings, drawings, and sculptural installation with sound, IF IT AIN’T BROKE addresses African-American Reparations and examines the societal costs of living in denial of racism. These artists explore this complex topic with work that is conceptually powerful as well as political. Sheila Pree Bright subverts African-American stereotypes with her photographic series, Suburbia. Kianga Ford’s Counting uses mathematical equations derived from the 2000 American census to address the complexities of racial identity. Jessica Ingram photographs the sites of 18 Southern Civil Rights atrocities to create her series, A Civil Rights Memorial. Satch Hoyt’s Great American Pastime, a sculpture with soundscape, calls attention to the relationship between sports and racial violence in American history. William Downs’ mixed media installation, Maybe, merges images from Katrina with other defining moments of American existence. Brookie Maxwell’s TAXI!, nine movie-like storyboard drawings, documents the fact that African-American men still cannot catch a cab in New York City. Stephanie Dinkins’ Limina I, a video of a dog chasing its tail, projected into a garbage can, evokes her ambivalence towards African-American Reparations. Francks Deceus’ Pilgrimage #2 and Terry Boddie’s Routes, ground the show with images from the middle passage and the Civil Rights marches. The year 2007 marks the 200th Anniversary of the abolition of global slavery. By presenting IF IT AIN’T BROKE, Gallery 138 joins institutions like the New York Historical Society in creating shows that re-examine American history as a catalyst for further dialogue. IF IT AINT BROKE is a duet exhibition with Stony Brook University; REPARATIONS will be simultaneously on view at SAC Gallery.
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