Artist: Cicely Hill
Exhibition Title: From Plantation to Present, how things change yet remain the same, a visual political discussion 
Exhibition Dates: March 3 - 9, 2024
Reception and Gallery Talk: March 6, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Ernest A. Finney, Jr. Cultural Arts Center

Artist's Statement

My reasons for making come from a Black female perspective. Issues of race, equality, and justice are at the forefront of my artistic expression. I have a personal lexicon of images of past injustices, lady justice, and various judicial and media-based images that help me express my feelings surrounding the injustice that African Americans have experienced. My current research includes issues such as the 13th amendment, prison as the new slavery, the effect of incarceration on the black family, and trauma caused by watching police brutality in the media. My materials are varied, watercolor, acrylic, sculpture, and print transfers. I believe to change negative systems and value Black identity it is important for me as an artist to express those things in a visual form. I want my work to propose questions and narratives that provide a platform for change. To open the door of discussion is just one step in the direction in which I hope to lead the viewer.

Artist Biography

Cicely Hill is an artist from Birmingham, Alabama. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is currently finalizing her MFA in Studio Art at the University of South Carolina, Columbia. Her work consists of mixed media that tackles issues of injustice to spark conversations among her viewers.