An exhibition exploring self-determination and belonging through the work of over 20 Global Majority artists curated by The Future Is Black.
The Future Is Black is showing Sovereign Ground at Brew House Arts in the South Side, running from September 24 through October 24. It's a group exhibition curated by Ari Bahta, and it brings together more than 20 artists from the Global Majority.
That term is a deliberate choice. The Future Is Black uses "Global Majority" instead of "people of color" to make room for Latino, Asian, and Pacific Islander artists. Ahmed Tacumba Turner Jr., who founded The Future Is Black, has acknowledged that the shift can decenter Black artistry in how people perceive the work, but it's a trade-off he's made to broaden the scope. The show frames sovereignty as the right to defend your relationship to yourself and to ways of knowing that predate or run alongside Western cultural norms. Through art, story, and shared space, it looks at self-determination, belonging, memory, and the power of claiming ground physically, culturally, and imaginatively.
The lineup is long. You'll find work from AIM$, Kaceem Barnett, Tyler Princeton Belizaire, Barbados Black, Norman Brown, Chazzlyn, Akudzwe Chiwa, Danaeshia, Percy Echols II, Henny, Ishara Henry, Ifeoma, Naomi C. Ilochi, Adeye Jean-Baptiste, DS Kinsel, Romii Link, Kalyn Menifee, Jameelah Platt, Yeseph Shelton, Kay Spain, Ruofu Sun, Maraiah Torres, Janet Watkins, and Alexus Wright. That's more than two dozen artists under one roof, so there's plenty to walk through.
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There's a bit of context on the organization that's worth knowing. The Future Is Black has been running since 2019 and has presented more than 200 artists in that time. They pay stipends—usually around $100 to $500, sometimes up to $1,000. Turner's larger goal is for the organization to eventually become unnecessary, once the gaps it fills are resolved. Sovereign Ground is free to visit, and you can catch it at Brew House Arts, 711 S. 21st Street, South Side, through October 24.
