U of C grads host art exhibit celebrating womxn of colour
By Rukhsar Ali, November 28 2020 —
“Look at the work these womxn have done. There has to be a way to celebrate them.”
Keshia Holloman-Dawson, President of the University of Calgary Black Law Students’ Association (BLSA), and University of Calgary graduate and artist, writer and poet Alia Aluma began conceptualizing NAFASI, an intersectional renaissance-inspired portrait collection, when discussing the lack of support for local womxn’s efforts and advocacy for the Black Lives Matter movement.
The gallery will virtually open on Saturday, Nov. 28, showcasing portraits of the influential womxn of colour who have made significant contributions to the Black Lives Matter movement in Calgary. The event will also include a brief artist talk and collection introduction, as well as a Zoom panel discussion.
“We have not sexualized these womxn, we have not made them into objects — we have made them into monuments,” says Aluma. “They are people who are representing something massive. We’ve photographed them to emphasize their importance.”