The Mesa Community College Art Gallery presents dual exhibits honoring Black History and Women’s History months now through April 1.
View the exhibits from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday on the Mesa Community College (MCC) Southern and Dobson campus, located at 1833 W. Southern Ave. A celebration reception at the gallery is scheduled from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb.28.
“Matriarchs of Washington Park: the African American Women Who Persevered through Racism in Segregated Mesa” was curated by independent documentary creator Bruce Nelson. Featuring paintings by Todd Bailey, Brie Bartz Bordeaux and Carla Keaton, it honors how the community thrived with the efforts of strong women such as Veora E. Johnson, Velma Alston, Lillie Mae King, Gladys Boston, Clara McPherson, Minnie Briscoe, Finder Anna Raglin and Louise Harrington. Washington Park, aka North Town, is a one-square-mile-radius community located just north of downtown Mesa and was a once-segregated neighborhood. Today, it is recognized by the city as the Washington-Escobedo Heritage Neighborhood.
MCC Artist-In-Residence and alumna Antoinette Cauley curated the second exhibit -- “Future Matriarchs: The next generation of Matriarchs.” Featured artists are Mia B. Adams, Shaunté Glover, Khandra D. Howard, Carla Keaton, Brianna Noble, Rhyan Johnson, Camryn Simone, Shoreigh Williams, Rae Wilson and Zybrena.
“There were many powerful and creative pieces among the submissions for this exhibit, which shines a light on pressing issues and realities black women and their respective communities face today. These works call into question important social and political issues that, if properly addressed, could lead to a more hopeful future for Black American communities,” Cauley said.
Recently based in Berlin, Germany, Cauley is known for her nine-stories-tall mural of Civil Rights activist James Baldwin in downtown Phoenix. Cauley returns to the MCC Art Gallery after attending Mesa Community College studying fine art with an emphasis in painting while apprenticing for two years with nationally acclaimed American oil painter Chris Saper. Cauley has been featured on PBS, NPR, JAVA Magazine and Forbes, and was named one of Phoenix Magazine’s “Great 48" most influential people in Arizona.
