Art Exhibition Opening Reception: The Meaning of Place
The Kota Alliance is excited to present the opening reception for our 2024 Art Exhibit, The Meaning of Place, on November 7th at 6PM at the Kota Alliance.
Discover this amazing showcase of Harlem women & non-binary and teen artists whose work explores the complexities of life in Harlem through multigenerational perspectives, emphasizing how age, gender, and identity influence our sense of place and belonging. Inspired by artistic practices rooted in celebration and liberation, these Harlem artists express joy, grief, pain, and everything in between that connects us to where we live, where we come from, how our identities shaped—and are shaped by—our multifaceted sense of community.
A special youth section features teenage artists. Beyond echoing the mutually-shared experiences of adult residents, the teenage artists reveal unexpected insights into growing up in Harlem today. While honoring the historic legacy of Harlem’s Black and Latinx communities, this exhibit also empowers younger generations to express their unique relationships to that legacy, while envisioning the future.
The art exhibition will run from November 7th to December 6th, 2024.
Harlem Women and Non-binary Artist Q&A session Nov 14th at 6pm. Sign up here!
Harlem Teen Artist Q&A session Nov 16th at 6pm. Sign up here!
Participating Women and Non-binary Artists
Yael Ben-Zion, Sade Boyewa El, Ana Bravo, Natalie Brown, Cathleen Campbell, Lisa Dubois, Shimoda Donna Emanuel, Emilie Frias, Wilhelmina Grant-Cooper, Isis Hannah, Julia Justo, Jivan Kricorian-Salomon, Rafaela Luna, Nazia Malik, Kelly Mares, Laurie Markiewicz, Tomo Mori, Jennyfer Parra, Arlene Pineda, Jenni Surasky, Christina M. Tapper, Arza Young
Participating Teen Artists
Luna Abreu, Stefanie Beckworth, Leilah Cohen, Nermin Hamdan Garcia, Ahmir Linder, Simbiat Onikosi, Jayda Schiavone
Meet the Co-Curators
Rafaela Luna, born in the Dominican Republic and currently based in New York City, is an artist whose work delves into social tensions, focusing on themes of race, ethnicity, and gender. Her art explores how society is segmented, using personal memories as a foundation. Inspired by the cultural iconography, patterns, and colors of her upbringing, Luna translates these elements into her canvases, creating works that confront and reflect the complexities of identity and social division.
Cathleen Campbell is a filmmaker and photographer who was recently selected for the A'Lelia Bundles Scholars program at Columbia University. Campbell has photographed Harlem for decades, though she has only recently begun exhibiting her work. In addition to her photographic work, she has built a career as an independent filmmaker, working on various productions and directing her own short films, including Langston Hughes’ NO CRYSTAL STAIR. Her photographs have been featured in 22 group shows and 2 solo exhibitions. One of her solo shows, VISIBLE/INVISIBLE, SEEN/UNSEEN: Harlem Portraits by Cathleen Campbell, at Hamilton Grange Library, was featured on Spectrum NY-1 News. She is a Yale graduate and a longtime Harlem resident.