Featured on The Miami Times Continuing to use art to change perception, Opa-locka Community Development Corp. brings back the Art of Transformation Series for a fifth year.
The more than one-month event kicks of with the “SAY IT LOUD!” exhibit opening Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Arts and Recreation Center, 675 Ali Baba Ave., Opa-locka, from 6:30 – 10 p.m. The opening night is free and open to the public, and features a curator and artist-led tour of the exhibition at 7:30 p.m., live music, light bites from Opa-locka restaurants and open bar.
Curated by Tumelo Mosaka, the “SAY IT LOUD!” exhibit includes works by contemporary artists Michael Paul Britto, Myra Greene, Joshua R. McFadden, Mario Pfeifer and Roberto Visani, and films by Bhawin Suchak & Ira McKinley and Stanley Nelson.
The “SAY IT LOUD!” theme is inspired by the James Brown’s song of the same name that addresses racial discrimination and calls for Black empowerment. The call in this context is a rallying cry for all to mobilize against injustice and discrimination, as well as embrace Black-culture pride in the United States and African Diaspora. The artists explore a range of experiences that not only address the re-imagination and representation of Blackness, but also examine the fear, trauma and grief transpiring in Black communities. Established in November 1980, Opa-locka Community Development Corp. is a non-profit established to address the distressed unemployment conditions, particularly in the Opa-locka and North Miami-Dade communities. Its primary mission is to transform under-resourced communities into vibrant, desirable, engaged neighborhoods by improving access to health, education, employment, art, safety and affordable housing.
RSVP to the opening at www.aot2016opening.eventbrite.com.
Exhibition Dates/Hours: Nov. 10, 2016 to Jan. 22, 2017, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on holidays. Please email aileen@olcdc.org to arrange special visits (group tours, weekend or evening viewings). For more information, visit www.opalockaart.com
