BSU GOES “BACK TO THE PRESENT

Lauren “Lonnie” Brown (Advertising, Marketing and Communications, ‘23)

It didn’t feel like long ago that I was walking through the glass doors of the Pomerantz center at FIT to see the Black Student Union’s (BSU) installment of “Black In Time,” a showcase of Black history and culture through fashion and artifacts. Even though it only feels that way, so much – some may say too much – has happened in the past year. The world was forced to take on a digital style of living and to mourn the lives of our loved ones as they lost their battles to COVID-19. When it seemed like things couldn’t get any worse, America was enraged with the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, only two of many that fell victim to police brutality and injustice.

The curation of the BSU’s “Back to the Present” brought forth a new challenge – and a great success. When President of the BSU, Joi Berry (Communication Design, ‘21), along with curators Kia Ward (Textile and Surface Design, ‘21) and Ashleigh Simpson (Fashion Design, ‘23), decided to take on the creation of a virtual exhibit, they put together something that encompasses the beauty, the struggle and Black culture as a whole. The virtual showcase opened on the first day of Black History Month and went on to pull almost 2,000 visitors from across America and different countries. So how does one convey their ideas through a completely digital landscape?

“There was no excuse not to be organized,” Berry says, “Organization is so crucial when doing something like a virtual exhibition.” She noted that their correspondence with the Exhibition’s Office helped greatly and was glad to partner with them in this endeavor.

To say the least, this has been a very traumatic year especially for the Black community. We’ve been forced to relive trauma that we would have never thought would resurface. “We had a chance to meditate on the impact 2020 had on our lives … by combining all of our experiences into a virtual room,” says Simpson, co-curator and Vice President of the BSU.

The exhibit gives you the choice to follow the guide or to “roam” the space freely. “We let our BSU logo take the ‘center,’ and allowed the viewers to determine their stand-out piece.” I decided to take the guided tour and was able to follow a storyline of events and interpretations through meaningful art, poetry and photography. I couldn’t help but think about how from such trauma, reflective and impressive art emerges. I think this is why the protest photographs stood out most to the virtual visitors. Berry mentioned that this was her favorite part, “It encapsulates the entire concept of what ‘Back to the Present’ means.” Each piece reminded me how talented the Black voices are at FIT and how through art their voices are stronger and louder. This exhibit was like a foghorn in a sea of sorrow.

What better way to tell a story than through art? It was hard to forget the traumatizing footage the news replayed as they covered the violence of police brutality and protests. Ward said, “I think we have more of an impact virtually … [it] allowed us to broadcast it to a wider range of people … in-person there’s only a week to view it.” After perusing the exhibit, I scrolled to the comment section. While there was only one, I believe it shows the reach and impact that this exhibit has. It read, “I just wanted to let you know that I will be showing the exhibition to my … high school students in Ontario … students need to see this example of the power of art made and curated with pure intention.” Overall, the trio expressed that it was well-received by their peers and professors.

I wanted to explore the adventure of curating. Since the online environment invited new challenges, Berry, Ward, and Simpson agreed that organization was the key factor in simulating the real-life experience we are all in need of. “I would absolutely do this again,” Berry added, “It was fun to have Ashleigh and Kia alongside me.”

“Back to the Present” isn’t the only endeavor the BSU has pursued since its first exhibit debut. In June 2020, in response to the murder of George Floyd, the BSU hosted “Chalk that Talk’’ where Black artists were invited to create murals on the exterior walls of FIT along Seventh Avenue. During Black History Month, they also hosted a series of virtual “Artists Talks” on topics like pop culture and poetry within the Black community.

The time and efforts that were put into this exhibit truly shine through in the outcome and reception. Every event the BSU hosts has been in an effort to boost Black stories and history in a positive light, without trying to erase the tribulations of the past. With every event the Black Student Union hosts, I find myself closer to learning more about the Black experience and a growing collection of stories that fall behind it. The BSU has taken on the challenge of educating their non-Black peers, something they didn’t have to do. In exchange, I’d encourage every FIT student, professor, and administrator to go check out “Back to the Present.” After all, it’s completely virtual, so there are no excuses!

By Joi Berry @joidesireeberry from BSU’s “Chalk That Talk”