“The stars ignite, burn, age, and cool, always evolving, just as we do.” – Octavia E. Butler, Parable of the Sower.
Gods From Afar showcases artwork from all three PASC studios—Detroit, Southgate, and Westland. The exhibition title is drawn from a work by Michael Jalen Adams titled ‘Gods From Afar’ and the celestial, otherworldly imagery it evokes. The artworks in this exhibit embrace the diversity of art throughout our program, with a few artists presenting publicly for the first time. Gods From Afar reminds us that to become the change we wish to see, we must use kindness as a tool to ease society’s transformations. It calls on us to embrace diversity and recognize divinity within people, landscapes, and abstraction. Also featured are two original fine arts books by Julieanne Dombrowski.
To see people as divine, as God-like or within God’s vision, is often viewed as controversial or political, yet it is a radical affirmation of our shared humanity. Rooted in the words of Earthseed, created by novelist Octavia E. Butler, based on the idea that “God is Change” and that to change we must look to the stars for guidance, seeing beyond our circumstances. Richard Marshall and Rodney Hudson both depict versions of themselves in the selected artworks, positioning the artists as subjects and affirming their identities as beings from far-off places. Stephan Tatum’s Shape Connecting series emerges from his imagination echoing his love of geometric forms and uniting some of his favorite colors into abstract compositions. Dameon Miller, inspired by organic shapes, often traces his fingers to generate forms, building his works on fields of watercolor overlaid with intricate line-work as a second layer.
The paintings of Phillis Rogers showcase ‘divinity’ through the abstract and patterned-based colors and line-work that reflect her zeal and vivacious energy. Vanessa Montgomery’s ‘People in the Purple House’ references her earlier works, often rendered in shades of pink and purple. An expression of joyfulness she finds in her relationships with family and friends. Denise Munlin and Lauren Samuels from our Westland Studio both create ornamental abstract artworks, evoking geometric or dotted landscapes of color. Denise’s artwork titled ‘Walking in the Dark, Seeing Shapes and Colors’ reflects on the notion of seeing through the darkness, as well as a celebration of new and exciting ways of experiencing life and all its wonders. ‘Separation of Light From Darkness’ by Lewis Foster reflects this sentiment in title, while both he and Promise Vos showcase fantastical characters that blur the line between God and gods. All of the artworks featured in this exhibit illustrate the diversity of artistic expression across the PASC program.