Rachel Nicholas, Staff Writer
The Library of Virginia hosted its inaugural “Culturescape” event, highlighting Black artists and honoring Black history, guests got to explore different exhibitions, presentations and took a tour through “House to Highway: Reclaiming a Community History,” a historic reflection on Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood using archival records from the Library’s collection.
The event took place Saturday, Feb. 21 and was free to the public.
From sculptures to paintings, the exhibition presented all types of art from all walks of life around the community, telling stories of culture and expressing the emotions of those in history.
“It was beautiful to see art that I could relate to,” Richmond local Hillary Johnson said. “Black experiences are so complex and real so just being able to see pieces that show our lives, our struggles and our past is just wonderful.”
As a new event on their roster, the Library aims to continue hosting “Culturescape” every few months — hoping to attract larger, diverse crowds, according to Sarah Falls, the library’s chief of researcher engagement.
“I call it sort of a cafeteria approach,” Falls said. “Folks can come in here on a day where we’re open, roughly every other Saturday, but we don’t always do programming. So we added this as a way to engage other folks to come in on Saturdays.”
The event was originally scheduled for late January as a preparation for Black History Month, but was postponed due to inclement weather. However, Falls notes that the Library was even more motivated to bring “Culturescape” to life.
Black Creatives RVA, a collective run by Shannon Bass and Andre Johnson curated the community exhibition. Artists throughout Richmond had their work shown, including local Gabriela Aroche.
Aroche, a first-year art foundation major at VCU, was one of many artists on display in the exhibition. Encouraged by her mother to submit her work, she was more than happy to share in the theme of storytelling.
“My piece was mainly about expressing a shared experience of getting your hair done,” Aroche said. “The pain, the tenderness, all the emotions you feel during the process. I wanted to share that because I feel like that’s something everyone can relate to.”
As the afternoon progressed, guests moved between the exhibitions, sparking conversations with each other over memories, history and family legacy.
With plans to host Culturescape again, organizers hope the event will continue to grow as a space where Richmond’s diverse voices can be preserved and accessed for generations to come.