'Redefining history.' Celebrate Black History through art in Newmarket

Still I Rise art exhibit, hosted by NACCA, on at Old Town Hall until Feb. 23

YorkRegion.com
Feb. 12, 2019
Amanda Persico

It’s Black History Celebration.

A new community group, the Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association (NACCA), together with the town of Newmarket, is hosting a number of events this month to honour black history, including an art exhibit at Old Town Hall in Newmarket.

The exhibit -- Still I Rise: Celebrating Stories of Strength, Courage and Innovation -- explores the themes of racism, identity, choice and action from a contemporary African-Canadian perspectives.

Celebrate the rich and diverse heritage of African Canadians against a backdrop of historical narratives that help shape their experiences.

The year’s Black History Month theme is one of positivity.

The exhibit centres on celebrating the stories of the of people of African descent, said NACCA founder and chair Jerisha Grant-Hall.

“There is a need for an understanding of the past to boldly go into the future,” she said.

“The history is still there. But we’re tired of the presentation being about slavery. We wanted to show something uplifting.”

And the theme of Still I Rise was born.

“In spite of modern-day racism, in spite of slavery, we rise,” Grant-Hall said. “We’re resilient. Here are our stories.”

The exhibit showcases contemporary people of African descent as entrepreneurs, innovators, movers and shakers.

“We want to shift the mindset around black history,” she said. “Positivity is the root of self-love. This type of representation gives (people of African descent) their agency back.”

The art show features a number of works of portraiture from Toronto-based artists Gordon Shadrach and Syrus Marcus Ware, complemented by artwork form local students ranging from Grades 3 to 10.

Some of the artwork by local students include a painting, dream-catcher, animated cartoon and spoken word performances.

Another part of the exhibit is a collection of objects with racialized or stereotypical images of those of African descent.

Those objects are on display to encourage scrutiny and look at racism in art, Grant-Hall said.

“A big part of Black History Month is education so history does not repeat itself,” she said. “These objects and images are meant to be scrutinized so we can displace what they mean.”

The images juxtapose the contemporary portraits found in the main exhibit.

“Those images were used to demean and dehumanize us,” she said.

“We’re redefining history. The portraits are our own self-representation. This is us participating in the creation of our own self-identification.”

The exhibit also marks the official public launch of NACCA into the community, which started the spring of 2018.

The goal of NACCA was to help build a diverse and connected community, with a major focus on youth — providing education, empowerment and unity to foster pride in identity, culture and history.

The hope is for young people to have a sense of who they are, to be connected to history and to have a sense of belonging, Grant-Hall said.

Along with a focus on youth services, including mentorship and volunteer opportunities, NACCA also offers programs from families and entrepreneurs, and strives to create a engaged community.

More information, naccacommunity.ca