‘Are We Free Yet?’

‘Are We Free Yet?’ was an exhibition concept that myself and fellow artist, Tiya Caniel, created to commemorate Juneteenth. We wanted to create something that observed the holiday, but also spoke to the present moment. Juneteenth is a federal holiday that celebrates the moment (two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation) that Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, TX and declared freedom over those who were still being enslaved despite the national decree for abolishment.

Loosely inspired by Tina Strawn’s book of the same name, this exhibition gave artists two questions that they would answer through their art. 1. ‘Are We Free Yet?’ and 2. ‘What does Black liberation look like to you?’

We had the opportunity to feature this exhibition at two locations simultaneously. The Tryon Park Hotel and The VAPA Center in Charlotte, NC.