An Evening of Storytelling and Connection: Gallery Crawl at the AWAACC
Written by Cassie St. John
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is holding a Gallery Crawl on January 30th from 5:30pm to 9pm. The crawl provides an opportunity to view Pittsburgh’s art and entertainment scene through a free multi-venue showcase. One particular stop on the crawl is the August Wilson African American Cultural Center (AWAACC), which features three impactful exhibitions that incorporate imagination and storytelling elements across generations.
Peju Alatise: I Will Belong to Only Me
Located in the Claude Washington Benedum Gallery, I Will Belong to Only Me is deemed a defining work in contemporary African art. The Nigerian artist, Peju Alatise, created the work with the ideas of imagination and African girlhood at the center. The exhibit marks Alatise’s first US solo survey and includes a range of mediums including painting, sculpture, architecture, text, and film.
Lavett Ballard: a Rose is a Rose is a Rose
Located in the Benter Foundation Gallery, a Rose is a Rose is a Rose, focuses on themes of materiality, womanist theologies, and Black femininity across generations. Lavett Ballard, the exhibit’s artist, uses assemblages of mixed media that create a narrative surrounding cultural icons, like Aretha Franklin and Gertrude Stein, who have used a “rose” as a symbol of beauty and transformation.
Located in the Yvonne and Christine Cook & Family Regional Changing Gallery, Picture This showcases a collection of stories from Pittsburgh residents and highlights the importance of connection across generations. The exhibit is a culmination of Age Friendly’s campaign to end social isolation and ageism and features a display of vibrant, fun-loving photographs from their Age-Inclusive Photo Bank. Picture This even allows for viewer participation with a telephone for hearing neighbors’ audio stories or a connection bench to converse with someone new.
The Gallery Crawl will commence this Friday with several opportunities to see the work of great artists. Be sure to stop by the AWAACC to experience these one-of-a-kind works.
