Bright Boy; the Art of Defined/Designed Black :: Mark T. Williams II, Henry Coston, Mateo Thompson
On View :: Sat. Nov. 5th, 2022 - Fri. Dec. 16th, 2022
Exhibition Dates: November 5th 2022 – December 16th 2022
Receptions: Saturday November 12th and Saturday December 10th 2022, 6pm – 10pm
Open Mic Nights: Nov. 17th & Dec. 15th 6:30-8pm
Named after the book “Bright Boy; the Art of Defined/Designed Black” by Mark T. Williams.
Bright Boy; The Art of Defined/Designed Black is an anthology focused on rewriting the narrative of Blackness & Black Culture.
The Bright Boy exhibit is a wonderful collage of Melanated Creative Magic, using the writing of one Black Male Author to act as the guide and narrative to the exhibition consisting of the art of multiple Black Male visual artists in New Orleans.
The exhibit is a stage built of Black Boy Joy; to inspire more Black Boy joy and Black Girl Magic.
It’s truly an expression of freedom; the freedom to express oneself fully as an American male of African or Enslaved ancestral descent living in a society with negative stereotypes stacked against them. We are more than what America has defined us as. We are Joy. We are Creatives.
Black Boy Joy means freedom.
Free to be whatever we choose to be.
Free to design the world in our image.
Free to be the change needed to positively affect our communities.
Curated by Mark T. Williams II
Mark T. Williams II, a lifelong visual artist with specialization and mastery in Digital Media & Design born and raised in Houston, Texas. He combines his BA in Art History from Baylor and MS in Industrial Design from the University of Houston to represent, train, and mentor young creatives, professionals, and artists in Digital Media, Visual Arts, and the Career and Technical Arts with an emphasis on their holistic and long term career success. He currently teaches at Carver High School as a Career & Technical Educator of digital media, digital literacy, and career readiness. Mark also works at The Material Institute, a fashion school where he trains their fashion students as Graphic Design Instructor. He currently runs an apprenticeship program and an after-school program called “Creative Extremist” where he provides resources, mentorship, and workshops to High School students in the Creative Arts.
