Published January 24 2024
Bellevue joins partners to present Black History Month exhibit at City Hall
In celebration of Black History Month, the City of Bellevue, in partnership with Seattle architecture firm MG2 and Onyx Fine Arts Collective, is presenting the exhibit "Elevating Voices," featuring the work of 17 Pacific Northwest Black artists.
Curated by Jay Taylor, an associate at MG2, the exhibit includes paintings, photography, sculptures, textiles and fashion. The exhibit will be on display and open to the public throughout the month of February on the City Hall concourse.
The community is invited to an opening reception for the exhibit on Thursday, Feb. 1, 6-8 p.m., at City Hall, 450 110th Ave. NE. Registration is requested.
“This exhibit elevates and empowers the voices and lived experiences of Pacific Northwest Black artists, who have often remained underrepresented in our region’s public spaces and arts scene,” said Taylor.
“This is the first time the City of Bellevue has hosted a public art display featuring only Black artists,” said Dr. Linda Whitehead, the city’s chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer. “As part of our commitment to being a welcoming city that embraces the future while respecting our past, we invite our community to view this exhibit and join a conversation about the historical complexities of racial and social justice.”
The exhibit will be available to the public during business hours, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and evenings when City Hall is open for public meetings or events.
The exhibit was first displayed in a private space at MG2’s headquarters. The firm advocates for equitable design practices by addressing unconscious bias, fostering inclusiveness, advocating for social justice and equity in the built environment and promoting individual development to create an equitable culture. The exhibit was also displayed in a virtual gallery hosted by MG2.
The following artists will be featured in the exhibit:
- Clifford Crawford
- Jim Coley
- Nansare Consolata
- Myron Curry
- Ruth Eshter
- Esther Ervin
- Rajaa Gharbi
- Marcel Jackson
- Adrienne Matthews
- Ashby Reed
- Perri Rhoden
- Ben Ruffins
- Danny Shedwin
- Byron Stewart
- Jay Taylor
- Carol Rashanna Williams
- Carletta Carrington Wilson
The exhibit is sponsored by Wells Fargo, Costco, Cloudvue, Amazon and Ezell’s Famous Chicken.
For alternate formats, interpreters or reasonable accommodations please phone at least 48 hours in advance 425-452-7881 (voice) or email diversity@bellevuewa.gov. For complaints regarding accommodations, contact Bellevue’s ADA/Title VI administrator at 425-452-6168 (voice). If you are deaf or hard of hearing, dial 711.