Celebrate The Closing Reception Of THE HOPE OF RADIANCE Exhibition At The August Wilson African American Cultural Center

The August Wilson African American Cultural Center cordially invites the public to join us for the closing reception of the captivating exhibition, The Hope of Radiance, featuring the renowned works of Dr. Imo Nse Imeh. The event will take place on Wednesday, May 31, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Center.

The evening promises to be a delightful celebration of art, music, and conversation. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy live music by the talented Haneef Nelson, renowned for his versatile performances in various genres. Dr. Imo Nse Imeh, the esteemed artist behind The Hope of Radiance, will also be present to engage attendees in an enlightening gallery talk.

The schedule of events for the evening is as follows:

Performance by Haneef Nelson: 6:00 PM

Gallery Talk with Dr. Imo Nse Imeh: 7:00 PM

Guests will have the chance to explore the thought-provoking exhibition one last time while indulging in a cash bar and light snacks provided during the reception.

Haneef Nelson is a highly accomplished musician who has performed across a diverse range of musical genres and settings. With his remarkable talent, he has collaborated with acclaimed artists such as Avery Sharpe, Tina Fabrique, Lafayette Harris, and many more. Haneef's musical prowess extends from jazz to gospel, R&B/soul, and classical trumpet literature, showcasing his versatility and artistic depth.

Dr. Imo Nse Imeh is a visual artist and scholar of African Diaspora art, whose work considers historical and philosophical issues around the Black body and cultural identity.

Dr. Imeh's work has been exhibited in numerous public venues including the Fine Arts Center Galleries of Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, Ohio), the Sigal Museum of the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society (Easton, Pennsylvania), the Mariposa Museum (Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts), University Museum of Contemporary Art (Amherst, Massachusetts), the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art (Grand Rapids, Michigan). His work is represented in the Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art; in the museum collection of the University of Massachusets, Amherst; as well as in a number of private collections; and it has been featured by the PBS News Hour, New England Public Media, Orion Magazine, and in the contemporary art and culture magazine Art New England. In 2023 a series of Dr. Imeh's works will appear on the covers of six issues of the medical journal Biological Psychiatry, edited by Dr. John Krystal of Yale University. Dr. Imeh has been the recipient of a Project Evolution Grant from the ValleyCreates Program of Mass MoCA and The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, a Holyoke Cultural Council Grant, and Springfield Cultural Council Grant.

Imeh earned a BA from Columbia University in 2002 and a Ph.D. in the History of African Art from Yale University in 2009. He is an Associate Professor of Art and Art History at Westfield State University in Massachusetts.

Join us as we bid farewell to The Hope of Radiance and commemorate the profound artistic journey created by Dr. Imo Nse Imeh. This event is open to the public, and all are welcome to attend this enriching celebration of art and culture.

Date: Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Location: August Wilson African American Cultural Center

Address: 980 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh PA, 15222

Admission: Free

The August Wilson African American Cultural Center is a non-profit cultural center located in Pittsburgh's cultural district that generates artistic, educational, and community initiatives that advance the legacy of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson. One of the largest cultural centers in the country focused exclusively on the African American experience and the celebration of Black culture and the African diaspora, the non-profit organization welcomes more than 119,000 visitors locally and nationally. Through year-round programming across multiple genres, such as the annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, Black Bottom Film Festival, AWCommunity Days, TRUTHSayers speaker series, and rotating art exhibits in its galleries, the Center provides a platform for established and emerging artists of color whose work reflects the universal issues of identity that Wilson tackled, and which still resonate today.