July 29 - September 2, 2023
From Ro2 Art:
“Ro2 Art is proud to present The Problem with Archives: A Portrait is Worth Our Words, an exhibition of new work by Lillian Young. The exhibition will open July 29 and remain on view through September 2, 2023, at Ro2 Art located at 2606 Bataan St., Dallas, TX, with an opening reception to be held July 29 from 7-10pm.
Lillian Young’s The Problem with Archives: A Portrait is Worth Our Words, features two projects, Wanted: The Runaways and The Black Elder Archive, that bring attention to historical Black experiences that have been or could be erased. In The Runaways, she creates interpreted portraits from the language of historical runaway advertisements, while in The Black Elder Archive Young paints portraits of individuals who lived through Jim Crow and Segregation. In this second series, a sound component adds to the process of recording these experiences, sensitively and powerfully drawing attention to their memories and experiences. Throughout The Problem with Archives: A Portrait is Worth Our Words, Young’s use of portraiture and language invites viewers to reexamine the ways in which history has been recorded. By shedding a light on these moments, Young not only represents histories that have been or could be forgotten, but also creates a new way of sharing knowledge, experience, and memories.
Historical artist Lillian Young describes herself as a painter who moonlights as a printmaker and her works depict forgotten or muted moments in Black history and the Black experience. She focuses on lesser-known black figures, stories, and objects that are commonly known by the black communities, and wants her art to start a dialogue between people about the current racial issues faced today.
Lillian’s work has appeared in galleries across the United States and is currently on view in South Africa. Lillian is the Family Programs Coordinator at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. She received her BFA in Studio Art from Texas Christian University in 2018 and in the Spring of 2022, she received her MFA in Studio Art with a certification in Museum Studies from Michigan State University. Lillian has worked at the Kimbell Art Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, The National Portrait Gallery, the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago.”
Reception: July 29, 2023 | 7–10 pm
2606 Bataan Street
Dallas, 75212 Texas
Get directions