Rana Amirtahmasebi Continuum: Terra
New exhibitions at ArtsWestchester’s gallery offer fresh perspectives on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Persian culture, Black churches and queer music.
Opening May 16, the United States’ Semiquincentennial takes center stage. Art in a Season of Revolution calls on artists to reflect on the dawn of the Revolutionary War and explore fresh perspectives on the American experience. The show features artists from the Katonah Museum Artist’s Association and the American Medallic Sculpture Association.
In ArtsWestchester’s historic bank vault, the latest Janet Langsam Vault Project is a newly commissioned installation by Rana Amirtahmasebi entitled Continuum: Terra. Surrounded floor to ceiling with repeating patterns, the site-responsive installation evokes Middle Eastern palaces, bazaars, and religious sites inspired by the artist’s childhood in Iran.
In the second-story Shenkman Gallery, visitors will encounter a photographic study of the oldest Black churches in White Plains by documentary photographer Chioma “Chichi” Nwana. Forever, Amen, examines how these places of worship have anchored Black residents of greater White Plains, persisting through cycles of displacement and cultural erasure, some for nearly two centuries.
The LGBTQ+ Listening Library, curated by musician Christina Picciano in collaboration with the Hudson Valley Queer Collective, is an immersive celebration of queer music and the artists who shape it. What began as a homegrown collection has evolved into a growing archive of vinyl, CDs and cassettes that invites visitors to explore the sounds and stories that define LGBTQ+ culture.
The exhibitions are on display from May 16 to August 2. The opening reception is May 16 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. ArtsWestchester’s gallery is located at 31 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains.
Click here for more information on ArtsWestchester’s exhibits and the gallery.
Photo caption: Continuum Terra by Rana Amirtahmasebi. Photo courtesy of ArtsWestchester.
