2024 Winter Exhibit

When we think of decadence, we conjure thoughts of excessive behavior that overindulges on pleasures of the things that have meaning for us. We over indulge on luxury items like cars, jewelry, wine, designer clothes, the hottest trends that will say we can afford it. We want others to know of that extravagant taste and don’t mind the decadence of spending money on the finer things in life. For the artist, they are creating some of the most interesting and beautiful works of art that are decadent in the stories and of life as we live it.
 
This is a Decadence of Another kind. The significance of Collecting work of African American Artist is that this act can educate and bring visually powerful narratives that allow us to acknowledge our rich culture. We have accumulated so much wealth in our community, but often fail to understand that we need to build on the legacy that generations before started. The Decadence of collecting and supporting art is necessary not for saying “we have extravagant taste”, but that we want to indulge in a luxury of knowing our story and having our lives shown in all the many layers we live. 
 
We must be excessive and indulgent because so much of our story has not been told. The artist reveals the authentic and non-conforming truth each time they sit down and create works that have lasting value, not just for the esthetic, but for the historical significance. Let’s be Decadent and over the top with our art and celebrate our stories that artist have created with immeasurable zeal and love.
 

These artists understand the authenticity of the work they create as visual storytellers. They are the griots of our time. They understood the great poet, writer when he penned the famous lines, “to thine own self be true” Shakespeare.