The CEPA Gallery exhibit celebrates Black Matters—12 billboards by artist Stacey Robinson.
Stacey Robinson—Arthur Schomburg fellow and MFA graduate from the University at Buffalo—was already preparing for a show at CEPA Gallery this summer. However, the scheduled exhibit involved many interactive and immersive elements, intended to mimic the Black barber shop experience. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, CEPA Gallery and Robinson re-imagined their collaboration swiftly and creatively. “I always wanted to be on billboards,” says Robinson, “so there is a bit of serendipity here.”
CEPA Gallery’s Black Matters billboard exhibit highlights the realities of systemic and institutionalized racism, focusing the public’s attention not only on the present moment and the issue of police violence, but on the many challenges, contributions and assets of Black people in our communities. The text and image cohesion intends to speak directly to local governments and communities to create dialogue around the “isms” in our society with the hope of inspiring calls to action for lessening communal inequities. Stacey talks about Black Matters.
Twelve off-highway billboards will feature original artwork by Stacey Robinson alongside messages like #BlackHealthMatters, #BlackJoyMatters, #BlackFuturesMatter, #BlackPowerMatters, #BlackFamilyMatters, and others.
