INDIANAPOLIS — Eighteen artists who painted the Black Lives Matter Mural on Indiana Avenue in downtown Indianapolis are now featured at a new exhibition.
“It is amazing. It's why I do what I do," Deonna Craig said. "For so long my artwork was just in my house or in a studio."
Craig is visual artist with several pieces featured at the Eighteen: Black Lives Matter exhibition at the Indianapolis Art Center.
“It's so important for 18 artists to come together and have so many different paintings and so many vantage points, that's exactly like our community,” Craig said.
Mark Williams, the president and executive director of the Indianapolis Art Center says the show is a chance to introduce these artists to the community.
“What we do is embrace and support the community where they are at," Williams said. "What we do as we foster the conversation and we are the vehicle for the artist to tell their stories."
The artists hope their pieces start a conversation from those viewing their work.
“Self-awareness is key," Craig said. "Sometimes viewing artwork is very personal, you don’t always have to say what it is that you are thinking."
She wants people think about why they feel the way they feel.
“Why do you do the things you do? Why do you think the way you think? Why do you feel what you feel? These paintings have so much power," Craig said. "They make you think about the things that were talking about."
“Artwork has a way of bringing out empathy and that’s what we really need in this world is more empathy,” artist Rebecca Robinson said. “I think when people come to this exhibit they are really going to be moved by our work and our message.”
Indianapolis Art Center will feature the exhibit through early 2021, but leaders say this is just the first of many featuring this group of artists.
“It’s time now to have follow through and to show the community what we are actually doing to have not only diversity and inclusion but an opportunity for artists who have largely not had that,” Jo Banister said.
The artists also have their work listed for sale on line. Click here for more information.
