INTRODUCTION TO THE MEANING OF PLACE EXHIBIT
THE MEANING OF PLACE Exhibit begins with a tribute to the original
Lenape residents.
Obviously, African-Americans were not the first to live in uptown Manhattan.
Yet Black residents made this neighborhood famous. Thank the children and
grandchildren of slaves who left Southern states and Caribbean islands to
seek a better life—transporting and transforming our rich but fragmented
cultural traditions—beginning in the 1920s during the “Harlem Renaissance.”
The artists in THE MEANING OF PLACE exhibit share and honor that legacy
today—in the same neighborhood that newly hopeful Harlem residents
nicknamed Sugar Hill. We’re equally ambitious, standing on the shoulders of
giants.
While our origin stories may differ, the same tenacity that our Black ancestors
described as “Making a way out of no way” can be found in many
communities in New York: adopted homelands that function like Harlem (with
a different name) for immigrants and their descendants, navigating in our
ever-changing new world.
The women, non-binary and teen artists in this exhibit include long-term
Black and Latin residents of Harlem, plus more recent arrivals from a variety
of ethnic groups. The artists were chosen because of the superb quality of
their work, their deep connections to Harlem, and their creative approach to
exploring the main theme.
Throughout this exhibit, you are encouraged to go beyond simply looking at
art. The QR codes offer additional insights into each artist: choices include a
photo of the artist, a video selfie or an excerpt from an interview.
Along with being inspired by the amazing art you see, to fully appreciate this
exhibit, you should have fun.
Cathleen Campbell
Co-Curator
REVIEW IN COLUMBIA SPECTATOR BY LIAM DOWNEY:
CALL FOR ARTISTS
I’m co-curating the upcoming THE MEANING OF PLACE exhibit for the Kota Alliance. We’re inviting submissions from Women and Teen artists who reside in East, West and Central Harlem.
Submission Deadline is October 1, 2024 (Early Submissions encouraged!)
Exhibit opens November 7th.
More Info About Exhibit:
https://www.kota-alliance.org/upcoming-event/call-for-artists-2024-kota-alliance-art-exhibit
Submission Form for Exhibit:
My photographs are currently in 2 exhibit: MUSES OF MANHATTAN and WOMEN IN THE HEIGHTS: DRESS. Details Below.
Opening March 25, 2024
Opening March 14, 2024
THANKS for EVERYONE who visited my solo exhibit, which just ended last weekend (VISIBLE/INVISIBLE, SEEN/UNSEEN: HARLEM PORTRAITS BY CATHLEEN CAMPBELL).
Please join me at my next exhibit, WOMEN IN THE HEIGHTS: DRESS, Opening Thursday March 14th at the NOMAA Gallery, 4140 Broadway (at 176th Street).
This is the 15th Anniversary Exhibition of WOMEN IN THE HEIGHTS, Featuring 44 artists from El Barrio, West Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood. Curated by Andrea Arroyo.
Gallery Hours: Tuesdays and Saturdays 1-5pm and by appointment.
(On the postcard for the exhibit shown above, the photo in the upper left corner is mine. The title is “Queen Elder of 125th Street.)
MOST RECENT EXHIBIT (Closed March 8, 2024)
VISIBLE/INVISIBLE, SEEN/UNSEEN: HARLEM PORTRAITS BY CATHLEEN CAMPBELL, a solo photography exhibit at the Hamilton Grange Library (503 West 145th Street, NYC) has been extended to March 8, 2024.
Link to Spectrum NY-1 News story about this exhibit: https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/human-interest/2024/01/16/harlem-photographer-cathleen-campbell-focuses-her-lens-on-her-neighbors
Spectrum NY-1 News story about the VISIBLE/INVISIBLE, SEEN/UNSEEN: HARLEM PORTRAITS Exhibit. For more info: https://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/community-showcases/visibleinvisible-seenunseen-harlem-portraits-cathleen
For more info about this WILD STYLE 40 exhibit at Deitch New York, visit
https://deitch.com/new-york/exhibitions/wild-style-40-curated-by-carlo-mccormick