The highly anticipated LEROI: Living in Color exhibition opens on November 11, 2022, from 5:30 – 8:00 pm on M&T Second Friday! Bold, vibrant colors, as well as African, Caribbean, and South American cultural influences, are central to internationally acclaimed artist LeRoi Johnson’s paintings. His work combines depictions of dreams, visions, African ancestry, and otherworldly elements with his unique viewpoint and experiences. The artwork engages with multiple perspectives of identity, social justice, and narrative to blur the lines between real and surreal. More than 70 paintings will be on view in the East Gallery in the artist’s first museum retrospective.
Fostering a spirit of community collaboration, the exhibition incorporates an innovative partnership with local youth programs at the Buffalo Center for Art and Technology, Squeaky Wheel Film and Media Art Center, Just Buffalo Literary Center, and the Buffalo Public Schools. In response to LeRoi’s work, students have created multimedia compositions that enhance the exhibition’s central themes.
“LEROI: Living in Color surveys Johnson’s intuitive paintings, bringing together a dynamic selection of works that address important conversations around themes like identity, social justice, and community,” shares Tiffany Gaines, curator of the exhibition. “The communal spirit present in his work is expanded even further with our partnerships, which bring diverse voices of the next generation into the conversation. The profound and imaginative contributions from each student take LeRoi’s influential career celebrated by this retrospective to even greater heights.”
The exhibition will be on view through March 26, 2023, and will incorporate programming and special events throughout the run of the show. Mark your calendar for a screening of the documentary, 100 Years from Mississippi, on November 17, 2022 at 7:00 pm! As part of the Beyond Boundaries Screening and Discussion Series, the program will feature a conversation including longtime friends, director Tarabu Betserai Kirkland and artist LeRoi Johnson.
Learn more about LEROI: Living in Color
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