CLEVELAND — During the month of February, students at the Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA)are showcasing their work in an exhibition titled, “Is It Because I’m Black?”
It’s taken a year to put everything together. The students are part of the Black Scholars and Artists club on campus.
“It’s really wonderful to see all of these students come together and create a really immersive experience for all of our community,” said CIA Exhibitions and Collections Specialist Amani Williams.
“It’s really important to have this club because it’s a really fantastic way for our Black students to feel community and to be able to talk about their feelings, what they’re going through. It’s hard to be a student, especially hard to be a student of color.”
Ke Gray is a senior at CIA majoring in illustration who grew up in Parma.
“I’m just excited to be with people that are like me because I feel like I didn’t get a lot of that growing up,” she said. “It’s definitely inspiring too, when it comes to the artwork and being around other creatives that are also Black and seeing their ideas and sharing.”
According to the school, of the 558 students who are currently enrolled at CIA, 75 are classified as Black. In the past 10 to 15 years the BIOPIC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) population enrolled at CIA has trended up.
The exhibit is in the Ann and Norman Roulet Student + Alumni Gallery and the Mary Ann and Jack Katzenmeyer Student Lounge through Black History Month.
Autumn Owens is a student majoring in illustration. She’s from Maryland. “We wanted to really make this one special and see what we can do differently,” she said.
“Is it Because I’m Black means a variety of things, I feel like it’s really based on the experiences and memories of what you go through as a Black person.”
For Spring 2024 semester, CIA's gallery hours are:
• Monday–Thursday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Friday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday: noon to 5 p.m.
This exhibition is free and open to the public. No appointments are necessary.
Exhibition Statement
Why do you underestimate my talents, my voice, my presence, my purity? Is it Because I'm Black or Is It Because I'm Me?
Black art is an expression and extension of ourselves. Words we may not be able to articulate, we transform into beautiful, yet sometimes disturbing, compositions depicting the complexities and hardships of being Black.
Join us and be exposed to the world of the contemporary Black artist. Witness as we—with liberty, boldness and spontaneity—navigate the negative stereotypes and barriers thrown our way on a daily basis.
