KSHB 41 News reporter Braden Bates covers parts of Jackson County, Missouri, including Lee's Summit. Send Braden a story idea by e-mail.
An art exhibit called "Reclaiming the Canvas: 100 Years of Black History Month" is lifting the voices of Black artists.
The exhibit was featured at the Zhou B Arts Center near 18th and Vine. Roi Wall was the curator for the event that spotlit Black artists.
"We are the canvas. We’re here to reclaim our art and take that back from people that profited off it and never gave back," Wall said.
For Wall it was important to show off the talents and stories from the Black community.
"I feel like black artists are underrepresented in exhibitions and so my mission is to really get black art on display," Wall said. The Exhibition featured several Black artists work, who said they had limited guidelines, which allowed them to produce anything they wanted.
"For us to be able to share art within that space, to get our voices out there so that we can just be a great representative of the black culture, I mean that’s extremely important to me," said Daisha Maria Breona an artist at the event.
Her work depicted an older woman smoking a cigar with a floral crown.
"This is just talking about a journey of life and celebrating that life, not necessarily the end of it, but looking back at what you've accomplished. And sitting back and owning it and owning your journey and smoking that cigar like a boss," Breona said.
She said exhibits like this are special, being a place for Black artists to share art, that in other forums may have been dismissed.
"It’s important for black artists to have a space like this because we get tired of being looked at as 'garage art' essentially. And we want to make sure our art is seen as fine art. We have voices, we have energy, we have a message to be shared," said Breona.
Xavier Gayden was another artist who was featured in the show.
"This piece is of Jesus from the bible but he is reimagined as a 90s black kid," said Gayden.
His influence came from kids going to get snacks at convenience stores before school for lunch. He said it was important to be featured alongside his peers.
"Getting a chance to express yourself as a black person with other Black people. That to me is amazing," said Gayden.
Feliz Kehinde said she hopes the art captures the eyes of people of all ages, wanting this to be an inspirational moment.
"Elevating voices of different kinds in the Black community of inventors, artists, all kinds of things. It shows kids the heights that it could go to, you know. And yeah, its important and not only for kids, for all ages, it’s important to see ourselves in many different roles," said Kehinde.
Another artists took inspiration from the Black communities past and how it's influenced the present.
"The art pieces I have are part of a series call “A Pursuit of New Beginnings” and that whole series is about how our ancestors, like Black people from the past have, had resiliency, ingenuity, bravery to seek and find liberation. And so I’m basically saying what they have in them, we have that as well," said Aisha Imani Sanaa.
Her art capturing history and educating the viewers on important events. It also presents a spirit of hope which is something she wants viewers to recognize.
"I want people to take away hope, and I want people to take away strength and just know that whatever they’re going through, they can get through it and can get past it and that there is something in the future that is better," said Sanaa.
The exhibition also aimed to reflect the spirit of Kansas City.
