By Grace Dietz
Online Arts Editor
Costa junior Nia Marshall’s art show “Afuura” celebrates black artists and their experiences by incorporating vibrant colors and impactful themes throughout the exhibit.
The exhibit’s powerful themes of self-love and acceptance, and the diverse color palette featured in the pieces offers viewers a glimpse into the world of a black artist. The precise details of the artwork and the variety of each piece on display in “Afuura” creates an intriguing and stunning gallery.
“Afuura,” which means “soul” in the Ethiopian language of Oromo, includes artwork solely produced by black artists, including Costa students and pieces donated from the Marshall and Clinton families. The exhibit took place from Feb. 12-16 at lunch in room 60.
The pieces incorporated in “Afuura” highlight many different types of black culture through a compilation of African American art, Haitian art, Jamaican art, and West African art. Marshall curated and participated in the exhibit herself.
The prominent theme of acceptance throughout the exhibit opened up viewers’ minds to the prejudice and struggles that black people face. Self-acceptance is dynamically portrayed in “Mirror Mirror, On the Wall” by Marshall, a digital drawing that criticizes the absurd stereotypes placed on African American women by society.
Self-love is also a central theme in “Afuura,” as confidence and trust in one’s persona plays a large role in the boldness of African American culture. Photography and acrylic pieces such as “Love” by Nathan Bradford and “I Was Born Underwater” by Marshall in “Afuura” showcaseed the theme of self-love and radiated an unmistakable level of soulfulness.
“Afuura” includes many vibrant pieces of art constructed with careful thought and radiant color palettes. The vivid color choices of the various pieces successfully caught the viewers’ attention. In “I Was Born Underwater,” an acrylic painting by Marshall, the abstract figures and bright colors tie in with the overall theme of acceptance and self-appreciation.
The scenes depicted in numerous pieces throughout the exhibit provide insight into the lives of African Americans throughout history. “Buffalo Soldiers,” a painting by an unnamed artist, depicted black soldiers serving in an American cavalry during the Civil War before they were allowed to serve in the regular military.
Various forms of artwork were integrated into “Afuura,” such as photographs, acrylic paintings, children’s books, nonfiction novels, digital drawings and sculptures, which create an original and hands-on experience for the exhibit’s viewers and helps them to better understand a complete picture of black culture.
“Afuura” was a captivating exhibit that displayed fascinating and exuberant artwork. The themes of self-love and acceptance helped the viewers navigate the life of an African American. The rigorous detail of the various pieces made the exhibit a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Marshall hopes to open another exhibit in the near future, showcasing only her own music and animations. For more information on “Afuura,” follow Marshall on Instagram @niaaa_gabrielle.
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