The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Groups collaborate to highlight black art at event
In their third year of collaboration, the Lorain Arts Council and the Lorain County Branch of the National Council of Negro Women hosted an evening honoring and promoting the contributions of black arts Feb. 15 at 737 Broadway in Lorain.
The event highlighted black art and welcomed presentations by Lorain Arts Council Vice President Arnold Johnson who spoke about the state of black art and his background in architecture, local artist Ashley Bennett and Dr. Kwaku Obosu-Mensah.
After spending five years in Phoenix and Orange County, Calif., Bennett returned to the area with her Andy Warhol inspired work and she is one of the newest members of the Lorain Arts Council.
Bennett has participated
in 14 different showcases out west. But Feb. 15 was the first opportunity to showcase her art based on the concept of the natural embrace.
Lorain Arts Council President Antonio Barrios said there is hope to feature Bennett’s work in a solo showcase in the near future.
Dr. Kwaku Obosu-Mensah, an associate professor of sociology at Lorain County Community College,
brought his collection of African art and spoke at length about his native country of Ghana and his charity and cultural exchange initiatives.
Lorain Council President Joel Arredondo called on City Council to follow the success of Cleveland in pursuing an art levy and allocate one percent of the city budget to the arts.
Arredondo emphasized that art is what brought back many communities and how Cleveland’s development of the Tremont neighborhood and West 65th Street show what is possible for Lorain if a concerted effort is made by the community.
“The Arts Council, Fire-Fish, fashion designers, musicians,” he said. “That is all the arts. So the thing is, it can be done and all we have to do is work together.”
Arredondo said an art levy could support the continued work of the Lorain Arts Council in addition to working to develop other artists in the area.
Barrios said he is actively seeking opportunities to further develop downtown Lorain through the lens of the arts and hopes to build on the success of their collaboration with the National Council of Negro Women by working with other nonprofit organizations committed to improving the quality of life in Lorain.
“Lorain has a lot of problems,” Barrios said. “We are not trying to reinvent the wheel, but Cleveland is a success because of the art scene over there. The city of Lorain is in desperate need of a lot of things.
“So, art might not be on the table, but we are trying to get it on the table to be a part of the rejuvenation of Lorain.”
In the future, Barrios said he would like to showcase a different cultural group each month so that Lorain can have a constant flow of culture.
These kinds of events serve to break down cultural barriers and misunderstandings and provides a forum through the arts will allow a lot of value for Lorain, he said.
“You eat their food and listen to their music, and as a result, we are tearing away the wall that comes from not knowing or not understanding their culture,” Barrios said.