In Honor

Art After Dark
Friday, March 25, 5–9 p.m.
Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive

This exhibition opens with this public celebration.

The new Paloozaniore exhibition Black & Brown Faces: Paying Homage To, opens at the Cincinnati Art Museum on March 25.

Rico Grant and Ray Ball, co-founders of Paloozanoire, organized the exhibition to build on the structure of the inaugural 2020 show, which commissioned 10 Black artists who depicted the emotional extremes of 2020, with the goal of facilitating a process of community healing from the upheaval of the year using art and connection as a catalyst.

This year, Black & Brown Faces: Paying Homage To expands to include 15 Midwestern artists of color, recognizing 15 Cincinnati leaders. All individuals of color driving change in their community, disrupting the norm, and lifting others through their work, the exhibition includes depictions of Dora Anim, Gee Horton, Damon Jones, Barry Larkin, Lydia Morgan, Tyra Patterson, Annie Timmons, Lynn Watts, Adrienne Wiley, and others.

“Black & Brown Faces was created to uplift artists of color around the Midwest with a strong focus on Cincinnati-based artists,” said Grant. “We understand the importance of representation and our partnership with The Cincinnati Art Museum has allowed us to amplify our mission beyond our wildest dreams.”

Paloozanoire was founded in 2019 to focus on enriching the lives of people of color throughout the Midwest in the areas of corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and creativity. Quickly gaining the support of the community Paloozanoire has now produced events and activations catering to more than 20,000 attendees. The group’s two main attractions are the Black & Brown Faces art exhibition and Juneteenth Block Party Experience.

“This partnership with Paloozanoire is an amazing expression of the kind of work we are excited to do in our city,” said Megan Nauer, Cincinnati Art Museum site coordinator for the exhibition. “We hope that by bringing artists and change-makers of all kinds together in the museum in support of Paloozanoire’s vision, we can continue to demonstrate the power of art to connect communities and act as a catalyst for inclusion and joy.

Each artist in Black & Brown Faces – Nytaya Babbitt, Christian Drye, Magnus Juliano, Javarri Lewis, Blake Lenoir, Keenan Litman, Crystal Miller, Francesca Miller, Kandice Odister, Rashad Orlando, Natalie Orr, Torri Shaaron, Kevin Nance-West, Wyze, and Frank Young – has created an interpretation of a portrait to pay homage to one of the honorees.

“We have the chance to celebrate both the artists and the community changemakers in this exhibition,” said Ball. “It’s exciting to honor these individuals of color who are driving change in their Cincinnati communities, disrupting the norm, and lifting others through their work.”