Multidisciplinary artist Shanequa Gay is exhibiting large-scale murals, photographs and tapestries at the Emma Darnell Aviation Museum and Conference Center (EDAMCC).
The exhibit, “Psalms for Black Girls,” features African American girls playing with monotone flags in and outside of church. It examines race, class, age, vulnerability and their connection to America.
“City Lights” producer Summer Evans spoke with Gay about her new exhibit, exploring her background and inspirations for the work.
“I consider myself a Southern storyteller,” said Gay. “So the fodder and the inspiration for my work is just my observations of what happens in my community in the South.”
A large part of her observations started with the Church due to its intrinsic connection to social movements within America’s Black community, but they also grew to encompass American womanhood and citizenship status — all themes represented in the large grayscale images displayed at the EDAMCC.
“America is a beautiful melting pot of all kinds of persons, and without all types of people, we cannot have America,” explained Gay.
Gay’s exhibit at the EDAMCC is on display through Jan. 18, 2025.