Category: Exhibitions

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Exhibition: Spirit of Viche Black Ancestral Traditions in the Colombian Pacific

Spirit of Viche: Black Ancestral Traditions in the Colombian Pacific is an exhibition organized by LLILAS master’s student Camille Carr in collaboration with Benson Exhibitions Curator Veronica Valarino. Viche is an artisanal drink distilled from sugarcane whose recipe was brought to Colombia by enslaved African women and has been passed down through generations. Carr’s research and acquisition of materials was funded by a 2023 Archiving Black América–Black Diaspora Archive Acquisitions Grant and resulted in the  Scenes of Black Life and Cultural Expression in the Colombian Pacific archival collection.

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Exhibition: Liberating Black Art

In partnership with Art Galleries at Black Studies (AGBS), the BDA is pleased to present Liberating Black Art on view at the Neill-Cochran House Museum.  This show presents artworks from the Black Diaspora Archive in conversation with two local, private collections. Collectively, these works highlight the distinct yet cohesive, approach of artists in using creativity as an antidote to systemic erasure and misrepresentation and as a means of celebrating the cultural legacy of people of African descent.

Read more about the exhibition here.

 

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Curating an Oral History of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority at The University of Texas || Part II

Photo courtesy of Pamiel Gaskin, AKA Christmas Party 1966

AKA Impact on Campus & Beyond

The impact of the signature projects created and facilitated by the Delta Xi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. reaches beyond the Forty Acres and into the lives of Austin mothers and their children. Working in East Austin, where, historically, the majority of African American Austinites have resided, since 1959 Delta Xi has held events to aid battered women, and to provide holiday parties, daycare, resources, encouragement, and toys for impoverished families. Continue reading “Curating an Oral History of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority at The University of Texas || Part II”

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Celebrating Eric Williams

A scholar and statesman, the Honorable Dr. Eric Eustace Williams (1911-1981) led Trinidad and Tobago for over a quarter of a century. He oversaw the country’s independence from Britain in 1962 and 1976 transition to a Republic. Williams served as Prime Minister until his death in 1981.

In April 2021, the Eric Williams Memorial Lecture (EWML) moved from Florida International University to its new home at the John L. Warfield Center for African and African American Studies at The University of Texas at Austin. To mark the occasion, the BDA collaborated with the Eric Williams Memorial Collection Research Library, Archives & Museum at The University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago, and the staff of the Alma Jordan Library at The University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago to create the online exhibition, Celebrating Eric Williams.

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Life & Letters: Follow Your Arts Desire

With all the events going on around town this month, it’s easy to forget that we have several excellent art galleries right on campus. Luckily, I’m here to remind you about two shows currently on display at the Art Galleries at Black Studies (AGBS) and the Benson Latin American Collection which spotlight both diverse artists and the wealth of art resources here at UT Austin.

Read the full story here

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That Which Surrounds Us: Selections from the Brandywine Art Prints, 1982-2013

That Which Surrounds Us: Selections from Brandywine Art Prints, 1982–2013, explores two elements central to the human experience—space and time. Sometimes indistinguishable, yet still distinct, factors of space and time shape our identity and inform how we view and operate in the world. Shown in two parts—Surrounded by Space and Surrounded by Time—this exhibition highlights personal expressions of these natural elements while showcasing the diverse array of fine art prints included in the Brandywine Art Prints collection. Continue reading “That Which Surrounds Us: Selections from the Brandywine Art Prints, 1982-2013”