Mitchell-and-Wallace-wont-you-celebrate-with-me-Exhibition-Catalog-2021

wont you celebrate with me Erin LeAnn Mitchell & SHAN Wallace May - june 27, 2021 FLXST CONTEMPORARY | CHICAGO wont you celebrate with me “THERE ARE BLACK PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE” Alisha Wormsley, The Last Billboard (Jan Rubin project 2009-2018), East Liberty Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Within time and space, the celebration of Black people has been critical to the possibility of Black life In 1994, Mark Dery provisionally defined Afrofuturism as “speculative fiction that treats AfricanAmerican themes and addresses African-American concerns in the context of twentieth-century technoculture—and more generally, African American signification that appropriates images of technology and a prosthetically enhanced future.” As Kara Keeling details in Queer Times, Black Futures, Afrofuturism has pushed cultural logics and production, political investments, and radical imagination, specifically in cinema and culture In Chapter of her book, “Yet Still: Queer Temporality, Black Political Possibilities, and Poetry from the Future,” Keeling begins with a reference to Karl Marx’s notion of “poetry from the future” that “ can effect a radical break with the past, a break in which ‘Black liberation’ still might be located—a rupture from within history that also breaks from history … “ In this duo exhibition of two emerging contemporary Black women artists, there is a generative connection to Marx›s poetry about the future to renowned Black poet Lucille Clifton›s poem wont you celebrate with me that speaks to a racial and gendered self and the shaping of lives to these experiences The interdisciplinary work of SHAN Wallace and Erin LeAnn Mitchell involves a radical imagination and engagement with existing contemporary art to construct new modes of being, as Clifton proclaims This show explores nonlinear or queer time and memory that Black women and femmes perform to survive Together their work presents a new constellation between space, time, and the possibilities of the impossible The discourse presented through SHAN and Erin’s artwork ruptures the notion of normative time itself by showing work that displays Black femme subjectivity constituted, literally and figuratively, beyond the stars and beyond the grasp of Erin LeAnn Mitchell Astro Reach Beyond the Stars  Spray paint, acrylic, fabric appliqué on Bristol paper 18 x 24 inches (framed) 2021 $1,800 FLXELM001 others constructing their bodies and their realities wont you celebrate with me challenges and unsettles the realities that exist to threaten and destroy them For artists like SHAN and Erin to imagine and create these narratives is otherworldly and begs the question: how and where can they exist and live in time and space? The antiphonal poetics of the Black diaspora exceeds its expression and points to a different epistemological, ontological, and empirical formation to thrive, be in their element, and build community through their practices For SHAN, a photographer by trade, her work depicts Black queer subjects in queer-specific community spaces As having grown up and around in the ballroom scene, her work in this exhibition presents the movements of bodies in spaces designated for black queer lives to thrive SHAN has worked to show a body of work that builds imagery into discourse and narratives of Black queer lives Erin, a painter and arts educator, has made a name for herself as an artist that transcends artistic mediums, building a portfolio of Black representation and life in the South through her textile and fibers work Her figurative work speaks to an Afro-Futuristic sensibility that jumps off of a quilting tradition that has held African American women quilting circles together going back centuries The coupling of past and future in her practice is an act of survival in the present Erin LeAnn Mitchell Astro Black & Cosmo Dark Spray paint, acrylic, fabric appliqué on Bristol paper 18 x 24 inches (framed) 2021 $1,800 FLXELM002  Their work feels much more like an aesthetic anecdote to the atypical depictions of Black femme and queer life that often are created and presented by non-Black people The paintings, collages, and photographs exhibited move us toward a reimagination of how we can intentionally live to preserve Black life, both in the now and then—but, in a different interpretation of time It is a moment that does not begin or end but includes the possibility of the impossible Looking into the future has become a platform for Black creatives Together, they tell a story of transcendence, of futurity, of practicality of life Black queer and femme performances in the everyday are often basked in masculinity apertures In honor of the anthology “Black Futures” by Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham, wont you celebrate with me, is about the power created in imagining Black women  Black LGBTQ+ peoples in time and space both in the past and into the future This exhibition is both about the illusion of time that deposits into Black life There is no one moment where joy lives or grief hangs on—but it is through these works where life happens Curated by Michael Rangel, Gallery Associate ERIN LEANN MITCHELL: ARTIST STATEMENT I center black futures My work propels Black people into a space and time that enables us to live authentically free I find solace in my Southern matriarchal family, especially Black women alike who use their voices to push us forward The care and attention to detail in my work is reminiscent of the quilts my grandmothers made As a continuum of those who came before and those who will come after, I deliver messages of a brighter future in the Black experience ERIN LEANN MITCHELL is a Birmingham, Alabama, native whose work draws from Western art history, pop art, and visual culture to examine ideas around femininity, beauty, and race through visual arts and photography Erin attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2011 Mitchell’s interest and continued passion in the arts led her to Columbia College Chicago, where she graduated with a Master of Arts in Art Education in 2016 Erin LeAnn Mitchell Spinning Satellites  Acrylic, spray paint, beads, fabric appliqué on canvas 60 x 60 inches 2021 $10,000 FLXELM003 Upon returning to Birmingham, the nationally syndicated television show, Empire, featured Mitchell’s artwork Dr Angela Y Davis received one of Mitchell’s pieces as an award to honor Davis’s work And, most recently, the Birmingham Museum of Art featured and acquired a piece for the show All Things Bright & Beautiful Erin LeAnn Mitchell Sistars  Acrylic, fabric appliqué, confetti stars with wooden panel backing  32 x 36 x inches 2021 Erin LeAnn Mitchell Mama Saturn Acrylic, fabric appliqué, sequins with wooden panel backing  32 x 36 x inches 2021 $1,800 FLXELM004 $1,800 FLXELM005 SHAN Wallace Runway Digital photograph on Epson glossy printing paper 24 x 30 x 1.75 inches (framed in black) (61 x 76.2 x 4.45 cm) 24 x 30 inches (unframed) (61 x 76.2 cm) 2020 Edition count: of (2 AP) $1,800 (framed) $1,200 (unframed) FLXSW001 SHAN Wallace Click Flash Collage on Stonehenge paper 38 x 50 inches (96.52 x 127 cm) 2021 $2,600 FLXSW002 SHAN Wallace 007 30 x 24 x 1.75 inches (framed in black) (76.2 x 61 x 4.45 cm) 30 x 24 inches (unframed) (76.2 x 61 cm) 2020 Edition count: of (2 AP) $1,800 (framed) $1,200 (unframed) FLXSW003 SHAN WALLACE: ARTIST STATEMENT I construct layers and compositions through photography to create cinematic tableaus to celebrate and observe the panoply of Black life, queer or otherwise My creative pursuits include using my original photographs to create unique collages The photography medium allows me to document the ongoing histories and narratives of Black life, and collage allows me to creatively build figures and create worlds to invite people to see the world in which Black people live, work, grieve, and survive Often these built environments are fun, relatable, or familiar They cut across the human condition Through collage, I create from what I know, learn, and from what I imagine SHAN Wallace Girls on the Avenue Digital collage 30 x 24 x 1.75 inches (framed in black) (76.2 x 61 x 4.45 cm) 2021 $2,100 FLXSW004 SHAN WALLACE is a nomadic award-winning visual artist, photographer, and educator from East Baltimore, MD She is inspired by the nuances of the day-to-day life of her surroundings in Baltimore, not as fixed narratives but a diversity of experiences In Baltimore, she learned about the importance of service, the power of collaboration, and the effects of social change Now, she uses her lens, collages, and in situ installations to capture the cultural and political narratives of black life Her work confronts the oppressive politics and histories within communities of the African diaspora and challenges ideas surrounding existing collections, cultures, and archives of Blackness SHAN has received recognition and widespread support from many renowned publications SHAN’s work is in both public and private collections across the US She has exhibited work internationally in galleries and museums Her work is currently on display at The Baltimore Museum of Art SHAN Wallace 10’s Across the Board 30 x 24 x 1.75 inches (framed in black) (76.2 x 61 x 4.45 cm) 30 x 24 inches (unframed) (76.2 x 61 cm) 2020 Edition count: of (2 AP) $1,800 (framed) $1,200 (unframed) FLXSW005 ERIN MITCHELL (205) 901.4038 erinleannworks@gmail.com www.erinleannworks.com www.instagram.com/erinleannworks EDUCATION School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), Chicago, IL Bachelor of Fine Arts, 2011 Columbia College Chicago, Chicago, IL Master of Arts-Teaching, summa cum laude Art Education, 2016 Professional Educator License of Illinois, K-12 EXHIBITIONS 2020 Group Exhibition, All Things Bright & Beautiful, Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, AL 2019 Group Exhibition, Inside/Out, Ground Floor Contemporary, Birmingham, AL Solo Exhibition, Keep Looking Beautiful, Birmingham Public Library, Birmingham, AL Group Exhibition, Interwoven, Kravets Wehby Gallery, New York, NY 2017 Solo Exhibition, Kinship, AMFM Gallery, Chicago, IL 2016 Solo Exhibition, Black Sauce, AMFM Gallery, Chicago, IL 2012 Two-Person Exhibition, Black Out: Issues of Race in Aesthetic Choice, Alabama School of Fine Arts, Birmingham, AL 2011 BFA Senior Exhibition, Sullivan Galleries, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL COMMISSIONS 2020 Public Art Commission, Seedling: Eyes on Ensley, mixed media mural, Ensley, AL 2019 Birmingham Committee for Truth & Justice, Our Queen, acrylic and fabric on canvas, Birmingham, AL PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS 2020 Visiting Lecturer, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 2019 Lecturer, Birmingham Southern College, Birmingham,AL 2016-2017 Visual Arts Teacher, Herzl Elementary, Chicago, IL BIBLIOGRAPHY “Check Out Erin Mitchell’s Artwork.” Voyage Chicago, Aug 2018, “Good Enough.” Empire Fox,Chicago, 19 Nov 2019 “Heart of Stone.” Empire Fox, Chicago, 12 Nov 2019 King, Ashley “Erin Mitchell.” BLK, vol.1, 2018-2019, p 32-40 Monograph: Erin Mitchell, PBS, Sept 2019, Olsen, Morgan “Face of the ‘Hood: Erin LeAnn.” Time Out Chicago, June 7- Sept 5, 2017, p “Steal From the Thief.” Empire Fox, Chicago, 26 Sept 2018 Talley, Holloway Je’Don “Birmingham Artists to Watch: Erin Mitchell.” The Birmingham Times, 20 Sept 2018 REPRESENTATION Kravets Wehby Gallery, New York, NY SHAN WALLACE EDUCATION AUGUST 2011-MAY 2015 Bowie State University, Bowie, Maryland— Bachelor of Science in Journalism AWARDS 2021 30 Women Who Are Shaping Baltimore’s Future by Baltimore Magazine 2020 Artist Relief Grant Recipient, United Artist 2018 Lit List 30 Photographers to Watch by Authority Collective Awarded 2nd Place for Small Outlet Feature of “Losing Conner’s Mind” by Association of Health Care Journalists’ 2017 Voted ‘Best Solo Exhibition: Ain’t I A Woman’ by Baltimore Beat Voted ‘Best New Artist’ by CityPaper of Baltimore 2016 Voted ‘Best Photographer’ in Baltimore City, CityPaper of Baltimore Nominated ‘Innovative Creative of the Year’, Technical.ly Baltimore Top Ten Local Books by Citypaper SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2021 The Avenue, Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, Maryland 410, Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, Maryland 2019 cutXcopy, Central Piedmont’s Bill and Patty Gorelick Gallery Levine Campus, North Carolina Sisters With Stories, Hodges Taylor Gallery, Charlotte, North Carolina cutXcopy, The New Gallery of Modern Art, Charlotte, North Carolina 2018 The Banshee Unde[rage] , Elsewhere Museum, Greensboro, North Carolina 2017 Ain’t I a Woman, Platform Gallery, Baltimore, Maryland With Love, From Cuba, Jubliee Arts Center, Baltimore, Maryland With Love, From Baltimore, Marianao Arts Center, Marianao, Cuba 2016 Black Seeds, Impact Hub, Baltimore, Maryland BLVKBLUE, Red Emma’s Bookstore & Coffee Shop, Baltimore, Maryland SELECTED EXHIBITIONS 2021 W|ALLS: Defend, Divide, and the Divine, Mint Museum, Charlotte, North Carolina 2020 Close Read, Connect+Collect Gallery, Baltimore, Maryland 2019 W|ALLS: Defend, Divide, and the Divine, Annenberg Space for Photography, Los Angeles, California Historically Hysterical, The Peale Center, Baltimore, Maryland 2018 Lit List, Photoville, Brooklyn, New York We Rise LA, We Rise Art Gallery, Los Angeles, California Reflections of Baltimore, Reginald F Lewis Museum, Baltimore, Maryland 2017 Baldamor, Okay Space, Brooklyn, New York Tell the Truth About Me, Prince George’s African American Museum and Cultural Center, Prince George’s County, Maryland People4People, Gallery CA, Baltimore, Maryland Development Without Displacement, Chesapeake Arts Center, Baltimore, Maryland The Art of Storytelling, Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center, Baltimore, Maryland RESIDENCIES / FELLOWSHIPS 2020: ArtworxLA, Los Angeles, California 2019: The Roll Up CLT, Charlotte North Carolina 2018: Creative Live x Red Bull Photography Seminar, Seattle, Washington 2018: Southern Constellations Fellowship, Greensboro, North Carolina 2017: Imaging America, Syracuse, New York 2017: Baltimore Artist Retreat, Baltimore, Maryland 2017: Baltimore Youth Arts, Baltimore, Maryland 2016: Close Up Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland Exhibition Soundtracks Erin LeAnn Mitchell Please use your camera phone to scan the Spotify barcodes to listen to the soundtracks created by the artists that accompany their artwork in wont you celebrate with me SHAN Wallace For inquireis, please contact: JAN CHRISTIAN BERNABE Gallery Director jan@flxst.co or MICHAEL RANGEL Gallery Associate michael@flxst.co 773-800-1470 FLXST CONTEMPORARY 2251 SOUTH MICHIGAN AVENUE SUITE 220 CHICAGO, IL 60616