HOUSATONIC MUSEUM OF ART TO UNVEIL POWERFUL NEW EXHIBITION: IYABA IBO MANDINGO’S ARWE JOURNEY ON THE STORY OF AFRI-CARIBBEAN MIGRATION
RECEPTION TO FEATURE 61-PART PAINTING SERIES SEEN FOR THE FIRST TIME AS COMPLETE COLLECTION
Bridgeport, CT (September 13, 2024) – The Housatonic Museum of Art proudly announces the opening of an extraordinary new exhibition showcasing the work of acclaimed artist Iyaba Ibo Mandingo.
Opening Event & Reception Details
When: Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Time: 6pm-8pm
Where: Burt Chernow Galleries, CT State Housatonic’s Lafayette Hall
Admission: Free and open to the public
The opening night will include a special reception with complimentary food and drinks. Attendees will have the chance to meet Iyaba Ibo Mandingo and participate in a hands-on art activity (no experience necessary). The exhibition, which will run through February 21, 2025, offers a profound exploration of the Afri-Caribbean migration experience through Mandingo’s masterful paintings and sculptures, providing a thought-provoking journey for all who attend.
Mandingo’s Arwe Journey, a sixty-one-part painting series inspired by Jacob Lawrence’s The Migration Series and the plays of August Wilson will be on view for the first time as a complete collection. The series tells the compelling history of the Windrush Generation and the broader Afri-Caribbean migration to Europe and North America in the twentieth century. The exhibition continues in the back gallery, where Mandingo's work delves into his ancestral and spiritual connections, with a special tribute to Black women, who he credits as "nurturers, survivors, and leaders" in his personal life and the broader Afri-Caribbean community.
“This series is about following in the footsteps of the Artist and Writers before me, who took up the mantle of telling Our Story. For centuries now others have interpreted our journey through their eyes. Me warn fu tell Arwe stories (I want to tell our stories),” stated Iyaba Ibo Mandingo.
The exhibition is curated by Suzanne Kachmar of City Lights Gallery with assistance provided by staff members from the Housatonic Museum of Art. Special thanks are extended to Chi-Ann Lin, the museum’s Summer Graduate Intern, for her contributions to the exhibition’s research, and to Jean-Pierre Sánchez Solis and Carlos Aquino, Museum Technician Apprentices at the Yale University Art Gallery, for their help installing the exhibition.
Suzanne Kachmar curator and Executive Director of City Lights Gallery offered, “This collaboration is a highlight of the Bridgeport Art Trail’s 16 years, epitomizing our mission to connect and support deserving artists. It celebrates diverse cultures and human commonalities, reflecting our commitment to showcase impactful work. Iyaba Ibo Mandingo is a storyteller depicting the personal and the universal. I have watched his unending production of provocative work. He is a powerful art-making engine. I am honored to assist with the curation of this exhibit. Thank you to Housatonic Museum of Art and director Jennifer Reynold Kaye for inviting me and the Bridgeport Art Trail to participate.”
“When speaking with our CT State Housatonic students about this exhibition, they are so excited to see the artworks and experience the show. The stories that Mandingo weaves through art are resonating with our community,” said Dr. Jennifer Reynolds-Kaye, Director of the Housatonic Museum of Art. “From the first moment I saw a handful of the Arwe Journey paintings at the Bridgeport Art Trail – City Wide Open Studios a few years ago, I knew that it would be our honor to bring the full series to life at the HMA.”
For more information about this exhibition and related programs please click here.
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About Housatonic Museum of Art
Located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the Housatonic Museum of Art is committed to enriching the cultural life of its community through dynamic exhibitions, educational programs, and community outreach. As an educational resource, the museum serves Housatonic Community College and beyond, promoting the transformative power of art. For more information, visit https://housatonicmuseum.org/
