Speak to Me of Rivers…

This blog is a platform for discussion about African-American history and culture. Please look at each image, read the quote from the artist, and respond in the comment section.

Inspired by Langston Hughes’ poem, “A Negro Speaks of Rivers”, Speak to Me of Rivers explores visual narratives of African American history, heritage, and identity through the subjectivity of African-American artists. Beginning with the Euphrates and ending with the Mississippi river, Hughes evokes the imagery of rivers to connect the experiences of African peoples and their descendants across space and time. He reminds us that like the flow of rivers, the past and present are always interconnected; if we are to investigate the depths of our being, we must contend with the histories that brought us to this moment. The artists featured in this grouping investigate a range of themes and historical events that have informed the legacy of Black life in America. From various perspectives, their works speak to aspects of Black lived experiences that complicate how we understand history and its impact on the present.

Curated by Kiara Hill, UMCA Graduate Assistant and PhD student in Afro American Studies, and in partnership with the UMass Afro-American Studies Department, this interactive exhibition celebrates Black History Month and features work from the UMCA permanent collection by artists including LaToya Ruby Frazier, Mickalene Thomas, Kara Walker, Carrie Mae Weems, and Nelson Stevens. The exhibition can be viewed in person at the University Museum of Contemporary Art at UMass Amherst from Feb 12 – March 3.

Related Event: February 27: 5-7pm, Fine Arts Center Lobby, UMass Amherst.

Speak To Me of Rivers curator Kiara Hill in conversation with Stephanie Shonekan, Professor and Chair of the W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro American Studies, UMass Amherst, kara lynch, artist and Associate Professor of Video and Critical Studies, Hampshire College, and Alexis Callender, Assistant Professor of Art, Smith College.

For more information please visit umass.edu/umca