The 'Outlined in Black' exhibition, in collaboration with the Akron Black Artist Guild, features diverse artistic expressions from the Black community.

Artist-in-Resident Michael Boyd Roman unveils “Worth a Negus Wait in Gold,” a series that seeks to upend the contextual history of Black portraiture by focusing on images of the highest self. “Negus Wait in Gold” speaks to the unnerving experience of being both hyper-visible and invisible at the same time.

Akron Soul Train Artist-in-Residence Crystal Miller presents “Queens and Shiny Things,” a collection of fantastical paintings and sculptures that embody Afro-futurism. Marrying African traditions with elements of fantasy, Miller’s art is a personal interpretation of Afro-futurism.

Katie Butler presents “Bread and Butter,” a series of still-life paintings commenting on financial disparities in American society. Both boldly provocative and shrouded in disparity, Butler’s paintings seek to narrate the class climate.

Kayla Weinman creates representational objects that somehow have a twist whether they are intentionally smaller, larger, brighter, or have exaggerated features. In “Clowning Around,” Weinman designs pieces inspired by specific parts of a clown’s attire. Certain pieces are photographed on a model, which amplifies the juxtaposition of the large, stiff, visibly uncomfortable, and unfitting attire with the human body wearing it.

Using a variety of water- and oil-based mediums, Peng creates foreign and playful landscape paintings. A melding of her imagination, memory, and past experiences, the destinations conjure wonderment and curiosity alongside a disorienting sense of not knowing exactly where home is. In extension, Peng’s free-standing ceramic installations capture the nature of landscape, with textures and marks that convey the essence of mountains, clouds, and the moon.

Our annual Members' Exhibition celebrates the creativity, cultural expression, and diverse experiences within the AST community.

In “The Universe Between Here and There,” Alyssa Lizzini explores the interwoven connection between space, time, and memory through large-scale, multi-layer drawings. Lines, grids, maps, and data become the stars, black holes, and supernovae of an ever-expanding universe of memory.

Akron Soul Train Artist-in-Resident Melih Meric presents “Stitched Editions: Exploring the New,” an exhibit bursting with pattern and paper. Meric uses a traditional approach to their imagery through sacred geometry and explorations of Islamic geometric abstraction.

Thomas Smith, specializes in crafting sculptures for the American suburban middle class, transforming inexpensive materials into minimalist pieces inspired by mass-market decor. Through the metaphorical lens of a terrarium, the artworks explore the tension between aesthetic priorities and the impermanence of the American Dream in suburban life.

A compilation of Matt Kurtz's previous installation and performance works will be on view on part of his residency work, which will lead up to his upcoming performance titled "Drumroll for the Total Eclipse: a collaboration with the cosmos." Scheduled for April 8th, 2024.

Artist Nyki Fetterman accents the often-overlooked joyful and fleeting moments in the chaos of every day in her show “MYSTICISM | BETWEEN.” These could be catching someone’s smile, listening carefully to the words of a friend, or examining an interaction in a new way.

Gina Washington’s exhibit “Universal Child” explores fairytales and children’s stories passed through generations that have supplanted an illusion of “American identity” and the understanding of the Black experience.

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