February 2024

Unveiling Legacies of Black Art & Culture

John Rhoden Book Symposium

February 10, 1:30 pm - 7 pm

Celebrate with us the launch of the exhibition catalogue, "Determined To Be: The Sculpture of John Rhoden" (2023, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts) at the John Rhoden Catalogue Symposium. The free and public Symposium features afternoon sessions on sculpture photography, gallery talks, and a roundtable discussion with catalogue authors, while the evening includes a celebratory party and a keynote address by Imani Perry, recipient of the 2023 MacArthur Foundation Fellowship and the 2022 National Book Prize for Nonfiction. Please review the registration options carefully and register only for the events you plan to attend or conveniently register for all events.

Visiting Artist: Martryce Roach

February 14, 11:45 am - 1 pm

Martryce Roach is a self-taught visual artist from New Brunswick, NJ, who introduced her work in 2014 at The House of Art in her hometown. Martryce incorporates elements of music, education, geometric shapes, and environment to construct surrealistic art stories that speak to human experiences and relationships, particularly as they relate to African American culture. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health and Africana Studies and a Master’s Degree in Social Work, the context for a lot of this artist’s work is shaped by her passion for helping people.

For BIPOC Faculty/Staff

Teetering to Balancing: Embracing Change with Resilience led by Dr. Shirlene Coopwood

February 15, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION: In alignment with the workshop theme, the session underscores Heraclitus, a Greek Philosopher’s statement that, “change is the only constant in life”. Amid global, national, community, and institutional changes, we often find ourselves feeling as if we are on a tightrope.

In this session, participants will reflect on how they value and respond to change. We will then explore how to pursue a healthy balance as we grapple with personal values, institutional values, and institutional change. Attendees will learn about different spheres of wellness and strategies to incorporate wellness in their daily lives as they pursue balance. Additionally, participants will recognize that their individual perspective and sense of balance in the time of change helps to determine their ability to effectively withstand change and shape their own destinies.

Art at Noon

Arts Criticism & John Rhoden

February 21, 12:30 pm - 2 pm

John Rhoden was an accomplished, world-traveled artist, but is underrecognized in American art history. Join curators Brittany Webb and TK Smith as they consider how the press coverage and arts criticism impacted the careers of artists like John Rhoden and the careers of artists today.