Her Word As Witness: Portraits of Women Writers of the African Diaspora Press Release
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Skylight Gallery
1368 Fulton Street
between Brooklyn and New York Avenues
Brooklyn, New York 11216
Opening Reception: December 1st, 2011 - 6 to 9pm
On View: December 1, 2011 - March 31, 2012
Brooklyn, New York - "Citing Roy DeCarava, Renee Cox and Annie Leibovitz as influences, Brooklyn photographer Laylah Amatullah
Barrayn intimate portraits of an intergenerational group of writers in "Her Word As Witness: Women Writers of the African Diaspora", opens December 1, 2011 at the Skylight Gallery of the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation. Thirty-six large-scaled images of a group of women writers hailing from throughout the African Diaspora serve up a rich narrative. A Brooklyn based artist raised in the borough, Barrayn describes the exhibit as a, "visual anthology representing African and Caribbean global perspectives." These stirring photographs capture deeply personal images of some of today's most compelling female writers including distinguished Columbia University professor and author Farah Jasmine Griffin;award-winning Haitian novelist and essayist Edwidge Danticat, who the New York Times credits with increasing America's understanding of the Haitian immigrant; emerging journalist Tomika Anderson; soul-stirring singer-songwriter-bassist and Grammy award recipient Esperanza Spalding. Others featured, include science fiction writer Tananarive Due, whose work has been lauded by Stephen King; respected poet and essayist asha bandele; legendary former Essence Editor-in-Chief Susan Taylor, lauded poet Sonia Sanchez; investigative reporter/novelist Jill Nelson and other equally noteworthy literary and performance artists. The project was a year-and-a-half in the making and will be on display through March 31, 2012..
"The creative work of these writers has stirred many to action, incited imaginations and expanded visions, Barrayn explains. She goes
on to say, "these photographs memorialize my appreciation of these women and their work, as well to as my deep love and respect for the written word" .
"By incorporating quotes from their seminal creative work, it is anticipated that the exhibit will promote personal and community dialogues about their work, race, sexism, love and other important issues," said Tracey Capers, Senior Vice President of the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation.
Her Word As Witness is the third solo exhibition for Laylah Amatullah Barrayn and her most personal showcase to-date. Laylah's photos of the jazz community, "Kindred Cool," appeared in 2008 at MOCADA and her debut exhibition , "Black and Tan Fantasy, featuring images from Dakar, Senegal appeared in 2006 at Calbar .Ms. Barrayn's has exhibited nationally in group shows and her work was featured in BLACK: A Celebration of a Culture edited by Deborah Willis and co-published by Hylas Press with the Smithsonian Institute. As a writer, she has appeared in Vibe, Essence and other publications, and in 2005 was the recipient of the Jazz Journalist Association Clarence Atkins Writing Fellowship.
While some of the thirty plus images are playful and deeply personal, they all capture the artist's intellectual acumen, personal beauty and creative gravitas. Her Word as Witness will be on display . for the seasonal holidays: Christmas (December) Kwanzaa (December - January) Black History Month (February) and Women's History Month (March) Her Word as Witness: Women Writers of the African Diaspora is an ideal outing for families, school groups and others. For more informationor to book a group, please call 718-636-6949.
