CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA (October 13, 2023) — The African American Museum of Iowa (AAMI), in partnership with the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art (CRMC), is pleased to announce the opening of their exhibit, “Power and Impact: A Survey of 21st Century Black Visual Arts in Iowa.” “Power and Impact” will be on display at the CRMA October 28, 2023–March 31, 2024.
This juried show is designed to explore the contemporary visual arts being produced through the unique perspective of Black artists in Iowa. From painting to installation, visitors will be exposed to visual perspectives responding to socio-economic and cultural perspectives, identity, race, and historical narratives. The pieces selected in this exhibition will provide a better understanding of the valuable contributions African Americans continue to make to the visual culture of Iowa.
“The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art is thrilled to be working with the African American Museum of Iowa on the Power and Impact exhibition. While we have partnered in the past on various educational programs, this is the first time we have been able to work together on presenting an exhibition. And what could be more exciting than an exhibition on contemporary African-American art in Iowa? Not only will such an exhibition shed important light on the current state of African-American artmaking in Iowa, it will also offer opportunities for all sorts of engaging educational programs. We are truly fortunate to have the African American Museum of Iowa spearheading this project!" says CRMA Executive Director Sean Ulmer.
AAMI Curator and Collections Manager Felicite Wolfe agrees: "I am so excited that the community voted to have this topic for our next exhibit. The Black community in this country has a rich history in the fine arts, but have only recently been acknowledged in the canon of art history. This is a great opportunity for Black artists in Iowa to receive that same recognition and to have their voices heard."
Learn more about the exhibit at www.blackiowa.org/PowerAndImpact. A full list of CRMA’s hours and pricing is available at crma.org.
About AAMI:
The African American Museum of Iowa is a statewide museum dedicated to preserving, exhibiting, and teaching Iowa’s African-American history. As Iowa’s leading educational resource on the topic, we educate more than 30,000 people each year through museum tours, traveling exhibits, research services, youth- and adult-education programs, and community and fundraising events.
