02 Mar The Heart of Sacramento
The Heart of Sacramento
Location: Lower Level by J.Crew
Dates: May 19 – June 19
Hours: Thursday – Sunday from 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Arden Fair’s UnchARTed art program presents, The Heart of Sacramento, a gallery featuring the works of world-renown artists alongside local creatives.
CURRENT EXHIBITIONS
Dr. Samella Lewis and Family, Curated by Unity Lewis
This exhibit highlights the art of Dr. Samella Lewis, alongside the artwork of her son Claude Lewis and grandson Unity Lewis. The works presented in this exhibit display the power of Dr. Lewis’ influence acting as an inspiration to push a legacy of creativity forward.
The Light Within Richmond Barthé, Curated by Unity Lewis
Guests will have the opportunity to view sculptures by world-renowned Harlem Renaissance artist, Richmond Barthé.
UnchARTed Through the Years, Curated by Sarah Marie Hawkins, UpperCloud
Supporting the Sacramento arts community has been a focus of Arden Fair for decades. To continue this mission, the UnchARTed arts program was created in 2018 to celebrate and uplift Sacramento’s diverse artistic expression. This exhibition features works from artists and organizations who have participated in the UnchARTed program. Through UnchARTed, we invite you to experience Arden Fair in a whole new way.
JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION – JUNE 19 | 3-6PM
Join us for a very special Juneteenth Celebration on the gallery’s last day! In addition to celebrating the anniversary of African-Americans’ emancipation, we will be honoring the life and legacy of one of Black art history’s most important figures, Dr. Samella Lewis (February 27, 1922 – May 27, 2022).
This free event will feature an intimate Artist Talk with Unity Lewis and host Faith J. McKinnie, where Unity will talk about his role as a caretaker of his grandmother’s legacy. This will also be the last opportunity to see the monumental exhibitions featuring artworks from three generations of the Lewis family, including Dr. Lewis’ son Claude and grandson Unity, as well as the legendary sculptural works of Dr. Lewis’ good friend, Richmond Barthé.
We also have an extra special treat! The first 200 guests will receive a print from world-renown artist and activist, Elizabeth Catlett. Catlett (1915–2012) achieved international fame for her powerful explorations of race, class, and her own African-American female identity. As a young woman, she studied art in the United States during the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Artist Talk | 4-5pm
Moderator: Faith J. McKinnie
Curator & Artist: Unity Lewis
Performances
DJ YODECI | 3 – 6pm
Sita Kali Ma’at | 5:30 – 5:50pm
Bites and Beverages
Spidermonkey’s Dessert Studio
LemonMob
Complimentary wine & water provided by Arden Fair
About the Curators
Unity Lewis
Unity Lewis began making music, performing, drawing, painting and sculpting as early as the age of three. For over 20 years now, Unity has been creating, releasing and performing his own art and music full time, as well as curating art exhibits and continuing to grow as an art educator.
Since 2001, Unity has taught Hip-Hop, art and life skills in public schools across the Bay Area and on the island of Guam, where the Guam Legislature awarded a Resolution for his contribution to students’ lives in 2005. For over 20 years now, Unity has been creating, releasing and performing his own art and music full time, as well as curating art exhibits and continuing to grow as an art educator. As a musician, Unity has collaborated with artists such as Dead Prez, Sly Stone, George Clinton, Oscar Brown Jr., and Umar Bin Hassan of The Last Poets to name a few. As a visual artist and curator he has exhibited and featured in publications alongside Jacob Lawrence, Elizabeth Catlett, Hank Willis Thomas, Betye Saar, Samella Lewis and many others.
Instagram: @unityakayp
Web: unitylewis.com
Sarah Marie Hawkins, UpperCloud
UpperCloud is a creative agency specializing in strategy and approach, digital development, video, and brand experience.
Sarah Marie Hawkins, a Sacramento artist, has been conceptualizing, curating, and creating art since 2010. Her main mediums include illustration and photography. Recently she has branched out to socially and politically interactive installation pieces. The recurring themes of Sarah Marie’s art follow what it is to be a woman and the contrasted view society defines it by. She is most known for her Faceless No More installation that debuted at ArtStreet in 2016.
Instagram: @uppercloudmedia / @artbysarahmarie
Web: uppercloud.com
Previous Exhibitions
Black Creativity at the Heart of Sacramento, Curated by Faith J. McKinnie
On View: April 8 – May 7, 2022
Within the history of Sacramento is a dynamic story of how Black artists have built a community and uplifted our city with arts and culture. This story endures as a new generation of artists continue to build paths and forge new ideas. This exhibition is a confluence of generations and stories featuring the Black artists at the Heart of Sacramento.
Featured Artists: Aliyah Sidqe, Beth Consetta Rubel, Dreaming Black, Dwight Head, Gerry GOS” Simpson, Jermaine Tilson, Joha Harrison, Juanita Gonzales, Keia M. Kodama, Monét Alyessett, Shonna McDaniels, Tasha Nichole King, Unity Lewis.
Faith J. McKinnie
Her curatorial practice is rooted in the care and prioritization of artists from the margins. Faith has over 10 years of leadership in art institutions such as the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento Theatre Company, Bigger Than Us Arts, Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum and is the founding director of the Black Artists Foundry.
Instagram: @faithjmckinniegallery