MIA Magazine Art of Black Miami December 2016 | Page 15

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH, 2016

AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO THE MIAMI HERALD

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BLACK ARCHIVES HISTORIC LYRIC THEATER
CELEBRATES FOUR-DECADE LEGACY
with President Obama Art Exhibition
By Australia Gordon

The Black Archives History & Research
Foundation of South Florida, Inc.
(BAHRFSF) invites the community to help it
commemorate 40 years as one of the region’s
premier repositories of Black contributions,
heritage, and culture. BAHRFSF is poised
to launch a yearlong celebration with the
Visions of Our 44th President Barack Obama
exhibition featuring 44 realistic, life-sized
busts of the president designed, painted, and/ a private media reception on November 29,
a cocktail opening reception on November
or embellished by forty-four contemporary
30 ($150 Black Archives Members and $250
African American artists. Visions will open to
Non-Members), and to the general public
on December 1. The presidential exposition
is housed at the Black Archives Historic
Lyric Theater Cultural Arts Complex, 819 NW
2nd Avenue, Miami, Florida 33136. General
admission is $20 and $15 for students and
seniors; 62 and older. Tickets are available at
VisionsOpening.eventbrite.com. Admission is
free for Black Archive members; children age
6 and under, and active U.S. Military with ID.
“Showcasing Visions in Miami not only
highlights the historical term of our nation’s
first African-American president,” said Black
Archives Executive Director Timothy A.
Barber. “Through artistic expression, Visions
also celebrates the accomplishments we
have been able to achieve together, as a

community, over the past eight years. Our
goal is that this exhibit will extend beyond
race, social status, or party affiliation, to
highlight the common threads among us
and inspire a continued togetherness as this
country moves into its next chapter.”
Each artist started with the same blank
bust and was charged to commemorate
the historical significance of President
Barack Obama fearlessly. For the forty-four
contemporary African-American artists,
this exhibition fosters self-expression. For
the visitors, the goal is to spark dialogue
and generate conversation to promote
humanities. The Charles H. Wright Museum of
African American History of Detroit organized
the exhibit. Peter Kaplan of Our World, LLC is
the curator.
Visit www.BAHLT.org for more information.