Art gallery’s ‘Voices’ whisper and shout

The courage and power of black women are two of the forces that inspired the art exhibit currently at the Diggs Gallery in C.G. O’Kelly Library. “Not an Ocean Between Us: Voices of Women from Africa and the African Diaspora”, runs through Saturday, March 17.The exhibit features works by an array of artists including Camille Billops, Zoe Charlton, and Magdalena Campos-Pons. Through their art, the women in this exhibit have intricately intertwined the relationships among the human condition, imagination, consciousness and vision. Their goal is to liberate women through their art. “Not an Ocean Between Us” examines the state of society from the perspective of the black woman. The exhibit seeks to depict the courage and collective power that black women globally have harnessed through their art: the ultimate voice in the world. Zoe Charlton earned her M.F.A in painting from the University of Texas at Austin and is currently a professor of art at American University in Washington, D.C. Her work explores the politics of race, gender and class, as well as historical events that continue to inform these issues today. A critically acclaimed artist, Charlton presented a lecture, “Art Beyond the Western Canon,” last fall at the Diggs Gallery. Her presentation challenged viewers to look at art from alternative perspectives. Five of her recent works are on display.Art viewers may notice how she depicts the beauty of the human body through nudes of men and women showing emotion and movement through shades of gold, silver, pink and browns. The names of her works are “Looking Over Her,” “Getting Air,” “Networking to Get Ahead,” and “Bunny.” “Zoe’s work presents a totally fresh perspective,” said Virginia Shepley, interim curator of education. “Using wit and irony, her provocative images of women prompt us to question the nature of identity within the framework of contemporary culture. She skillfully walks a fine line between humor and sharp criticism of race and gender relations.”