November 9, 2021
The Coloured Section Black Artists’ Collective will present InVisible, an art exhibition on Black mental health, with a grand opening celebration Nov. 19 from 6-9 p.m. at 820 Liberty Ave in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District.
The exhibition will display the work of 12 artists with visual arts including paint, sculpture, performance, multimedia installations and poetry. The work highlights artists' personal battles with mental health and explores vices, remedies, mental health practices, therapy, medications, coping mechanisms and triggers.
The grand opening celebration will also include a display of artist interviews filmed by WQED’s Willy James and pop-up performances by the Collective’s performance group Colour Theory. The grand opening will also feature a special illumination of the gallery for Light Up Night Nov. 20.
“Given the topics covered in this exhibition, some of the work may be raw, jarring, and push the viewers outside of their comfort zone,” said artist and Collective founder Natiq Jalil. “This is done intentionally so that the artists can shine light on their chosen illnesses and amplify and uplift those who may also struggle with these illnesses.”
Artists may also present works inspired by situations that cause Black people to feel invisible, such as casual racism, microaggressions, narrative changes and false diversity movements.
The exhibition is curated under the direction of Natiq Jalil and artists Zeal Eva and Amun Ray.
The Coloured Section Black Artists’ Collective formed in early 2020 and found quick success, including an invitation from The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust to install downtown regularly.
InVisible follows the closing of An<says>tors, The Coloured Section’s debut fall show in the same venue.
The exhibition will run until the end of January 2022.
Masks are required at the event.
Visit colouredsection.us/invisible for more information.
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