Pompano Beach Arts Launches Black History Month Programming With TSUNAMI: WAVES OF DISPLACEMENT Exhibition

The City of Pompano Beach will mark Black History Month with the exhibition Tsunami: Waves of Displacement at Bailey Contemporary Arts, opening February 1 and running through February 28, 2026.

The exhibition serves as the centerpiece of a broader slate of Black History Month programming presented by Pompano Beach Arts, featuring visual art, music, film, literature, and community events across the city.

Created by South Florida–based artist Tracy Ann Simmonds, Tsunami: Waves of Displacement is a mixed-media series developed between 2021 and 2025. The exhibition includes 36 works constructed from acrylics, house paint, and recycled materials, including fabric, braided hair, pearls, and repurposed household surfaces. A central material in the series is what the artist describes as “predatory lending scraps,” referencing discarded loan solicitation mailers that function in the work as both physical material and social commentary.

Simmonds has said the project began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the volume of unsolicited mail and the prevalence of street litter prompted reflection on sustainability and economic exploitation. “The work began during the pandemic, when the flood of junk mail in the U.S. became an unexpected source of anxiety for me,” she said. “Combined with the constant sight of litter tossed from moving cars, I found myself wrestling with what role artists can play in conversations about sustainability.”

The exhibition explores themes of displacement, identity, mental health, and Caribbean heritage through layered visual language and material reuse. Simmonds, a professional photographer since 2004, works across photography, painting, and installation, often incorporating African textiles, found materials, and ancestral symbolism. Her ongoing Tsunami series examines collective trauma, environmental impact, and economic systems through sustainable art-making practices. She is also the author and illustrator of The Vision Project: A Coloring Book for Black Girls Who Rock.

In conjunction with the exhibition, Pompano Beach Arts will present a series of Black History Month events throughout February. Programming includes Freshly Rooted, a storytime series; Uzumaki, an exhibition by Artist-in-Residence Jed-Lee Metayer; and Soulful Sundays featuring Lee Kelly and The Cee 4 Band. Additional offerings include Jazz Reflections, a free jazz concert at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center; Ladies of Simone, a tribute to Nina Simone; and the Exquisite Food and Wine Festival.

The Living Room Concert Series will feature Ulysses Pinkney, while An Evening of Gospel brings together multiple community choirs. The Friday Film Series includes Porch Talk, a play centered on Pompano Beach’s Northwest community and written and directed by individuals who grew up in the area, presented in connection with the Tiger Trail Street Festival. The series will also screen RUBIN, a documentary by filmmaker Tenille Brown examining the life and legacy of Rubin Stacy.

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