"Alexis Lombre is a Pianist, Ain't No Chitlin Circuit," 3o" x 4o" x 2", Acyclic on canvas, mixed media collage, 2024
Organizing the NBAG can expose, educate, and engage audiences by presenting and supporting the art and artists of African descent. Both curators and artists joining this group are committed to continuing the legacy of providing stellar artistic and educational programs across various visual art disciplines.
CURATORIAL TEAM:
We are in the process of establishing a North Shore Black Artists Group. After the BP exhibit at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange in February, I realized that many Black artists did not know each other. Angela Williams, a designer at the Museum of Science and Industry and a current member of the Evanston Arts Council, and I are organizing the group's initial setup.
There will be an opportunity to introduce the group through a small exhibition in the second-floor hallways of the Evanston Art Center.
Fran Joy, Artist/Curator/Life Coach, Exhibitions and Board Member, Evanston Art Center
Angela Williams, a designer at the Museum of Science and Industry who serves on the Evanston Arts Council
On View: October 19- November 3, 2024
Opening Reception: Sunday October 27th, 1-4 pm
The Northshore Black Artist Group (NBAG) is dedicated to connecting, promoting, and supporting artists. The organization includes visual, performing, literary, and media arts. Our mission is to create platforms for artists to showcase their work, encouraging creative expression and innovation. NBAG will serve as a community hub, bringing people together for shared experiences and fostering a sense of belonging.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT:
The Northshore Black Artist Group (NBAG) is dedicated to connecting, promoting, and supporting artists. The organization includes visual, performing, literary, and media arts. Our mission is to create platforms for artists to showcase their work and encourage creative expression and innovation. NBAG will serve as a community hub, bringing people together for shared experiences and fostering a sense of belonging.
NORTHSHORE BLACK ARTIST GROUP SHOW EXHIBITION STATEMENT
The 2024 Northshore Black Artist Group show is our first exhibition featuring the work of multiple artists, showcasing a diverse range of styles, mediums, and themes. This premier exhibition, generously hosted by the Evanston Arts Center, provides NBAG an opportunity to introduce the group to the Evanston, Chicagoland, and North Shore communities.
We are excited to exhibit this group of artists and look forward to creating a stepping stone for emerging and established artists to gain visibility. We believe that the arts offer something for everyone. The Northshore Black Artist Group hopes to spark conversation, offer diverse artistic expressions, support cultural heritage, and enrich lives.
GALLERY HOURS & VISITOR INFORMATION
This exhibition will be held in the Evanston Art Center (EAC) 's second-floor hallway galleries. Masks are optional but strongly recommended for students, visitors, and staff.
Gallery Hours
Monday–Thursday: 9am–6pm
Friday: 9am–5pm
Saturday–Sunday: 9am–4pm
HOW TO PURCHASE ARTWORK
The proceeds from artwork sales benefit both the artist and the Evanston Art Center. If you want to purchase artwork on display, please contact Emma Rose Gudewicz, Director of Development and Exhibitions, at egudewicz@evanstonartcenter.org or (847) 475-5300 x 102.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, which is funded through federal funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Date
Sat, 10/19/2024 - 09:00 - Sun, 11/03/2024 - 16:00
BACKGROUND AND MY INSPIRATION WHY I CREATED THIS COMPOSITION.
I selected this composition because I captured Alexis through my camera lens as she performed on piano at the Chicago Cultural Center during the 2024 Jazz Summit with Earnest Dawkins.
Ernest's vision for this cross-cultural exchange is to explore the differences and similarities in the aesthetics of black music.
"The Englewood Soweto Exchange" evolved from a jazz workshop and cultural exchange that encouraged young musicians from two backgrounds bound by history to find each other. Ernest deliberately selected musicians who had no prior exposure to travels into either continent to pursue the raw emotive quality he wanted to expose.
"We Want Our Land Back" is the debut single produced by this collaborative project between the U.S. and South Africa and was released officially across music streaming platforms on 25 February 2021.
Alexis Lombre is a Chicago pianist, vocalist, composer, and producer.
She discovered early that the true essence of music is not just about what you hear but how it makes you feel. Her mission is to keep the 'Soul' in music alive. Her latest single, "Boundaries," a powerful anthem about standing up for oneself and taking ownership of personal space, was initially released in June as part of Apple Music's Juneteenth Freedom 2024 Jazz playlist for Black Music Month and became available on all music platforms as of September.
Lombre's other releases include the single "Come Find Me," which she describes as "lyrically, a gospel song; harmonically, a jazz song; and rhythmically, a hip-hop/R&B song. I didn't create the song with any borders." As JazzTimes notes, "Lombre realized early on that by refusing to be constrained by convention—whether so-called 'jazz' or otherwise—she'd be honoring, rather than defiling, the rich heritage she'd come to embrace."
In addition to composing, producing, and performing her own music, she has toured the United States, Canada, Cuba, Brazil, France, and South Africa with artists such as Jon Batiste, Terrace Martin, Terri Lyne Carrington, Ledisi, Lizz Wright, STOUT, Keyon Harrold, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Marcus Miller, Nicole Mitchell, Jamila Woods, DJ D-Nice, and the Miles Davis Electric Band. Lombre was awarded the inaugural 2022 New Music Next Jazz Legacy Award and the 2023 Luminarts Award.
