Harkening back to its roots, Norfolk Botanical Garden’s current art exhibit, ”Celebrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” offers something colorful to see in winter.
Nate Cody, digital and marketing project manager, curated the second annual exhibition, which features the works of 40 local artists of color. More than 200 pieces were submitted with Cody selecting 120 to display in the Baker Hall Visitors Center. The mediums include photography, paintings, digital art and fabric.
“These are seasoned artists who live in Hampton Roads. And we want them to stay here. That’s why it’s important to display their art,” he said.
A portion of the show is juried and in partnership with d’Art Center in Norfolk. The art of the first-place winner will be showcased at the d’Art Center for three months this year, he said.
The selections range from contemporary to traditional.
Virginia Beach artist Crespo, originally from Brooklyn, New York, has been painting for more than 12 years. Her work explores womanhood, feminism and power with the piece "The Brooklyn OG."
Cody describes Crespo’s work as “loud art.” It explodes in red, gold and green and includes painted mosaic tiles spelling the name of her hometown. Below the tiles is a two-dimensional female form.
“ The combination between the Byzantine art style, bright colors and a modern twist of the abstracted figure, to me, makes it a loud piece,” he said.
On the other side of the gallery are Briana Ariel’s pieces, including “Bloom Within 2” and "Freedom Dance,” with delicate embroidery and applique on muslin. In the center of "Bloom Within 2" is a silhouetted woman, chin raised high, blue and white flowers blooming along her face, hair and shoulders.
To bring people into another part of Baker Hall, Cody chose L. Prenell’s, mixed media work, "A 16th Century Retrospective #2.” The three-dimensional piece is the face of a Black man surrounded by depictions of the Transatlantic slave trade and chained Africans being put onto ships.
“It truly is an eye-catching piece that tells the story during the 16th century,” he said. “This one really draws you in and hits you in the face.”
The exhibit is in-line with how the garden began. The garden was built by 200 African American women and 20 men through a Works Project Administration grant in June 1938.
The painting, “Garden Club-WPA” by the late Norfolk artist Maizelle, is on permanent display in Baker Hall and honors the workers.
“It’s part of the garden’s history, the Black history and that it’s a garden for all,” he said, “for all of the community.”
The exhibit continues through March 23.
