Intersections: Dianne Smith

Thu, 08/25/2016 – Sun, 10/23/2016

Fuller Gallery

Using the Langston Hughes poem I, Too as a point of departure, Harlem-based artist Dianne Smith showcased a series of reflections by Allentown residents on the lived experience of “I, too, sing America.” The photographic portraits and oral histories that were on display in Fuller Gallery were created during Dianne’s spring–summer residency with a goal of fostering a deeper sense of understanding and trust between the community and the Museum. For this part of her multifaceted Intersections project, Dianne interviewed business owners and residents about their experiences moving to and living in Allentown. The resulting photos and videos comprised the part of Intersections on display in the Museum.

In addition to the Museum, two other locations in Allentown also displayed artwork created by Dianne and the Allentown community in conjunction with Intersections. RE:find Gallery 724 showed the photography of fourth graders from Central Elementary School who were given cameras and instructed by Dianne on how to use them to explore the neighborhood around the school. Also at 724 were collages created by participants in her public workshops, who described, analyzed, and interpreted artworks in the Museum’s collection. At RE:find Gallery on the Walk (Arts Walk near Seventh Street), Dianne installed a show of her own artworks, which included a fiber installation and collages. Of this component of the Intersections project, Dianne said, “My site-specific installations tackle notions of identity, race, politics, and transformation…. The idea is always to create a space that the viewer can interact and engage with.” Both RE:find Gallery exhibits continued through September 11.

For more on the RE:find Gallery exhibits, click here.

The long-term artist-in-residency program is part of the Museum’s HeARThstone Project.