FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dara Katrina Del Rosario
Communications & Partnerships Manager
415-863-1414 x103,
SOMArts Cultural Center presents
On view November 7–December 12, 2020
October 29, 2020, San Francisco, CA — SOMArts Cultural Center proudly presents The Black Woman is God: Reclaim, Reconfigure, Re-Remember, on view from November 7–December 12, 2020. This visual arts exhibition celebrates the Black female presence as the highest spiritual form. Across the 2020 exhibition’s programs and satellite events, The Black Woman is God features 60 new works by Black women employing painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, film/video, mixed, and new media.
Co-curators Karen Seneferu and Melorra Green envision The Black Woman is God not only as an exhibition, but as a movement-building platform that explores the intersections of race and gender, dismantling racist and patriarchal notions that devalue Black women’s contributions to the world. Now, in its fourth iteration at SOMArts, The Black Woman is God highlights a community of Black women artists whose complex creative practices have influenced the world, but are often overlooked because of class, race, and gender discrimination.
The Black Woman is God will be taking place in multiple Bay Area locations throughout the Fall. Done in partnership with Mills College, African American Art & Culture Complex, and SOMArts Cultural Center, each site asserts that celebrating Black Women is essential to building a more just society and a sustainable future.
This exhibition reclaims physical spaces that have historically denied access to Black women artists, and reconfigures communal trauma, offering healing through African diasporic traditions and practices. The community connections made through this exhibition calls the viewer to re-remember that Black people have been contributors to write essay online not only to African culture, but the Global society.
Participating artists include Tiffany Conway whose paintings break generational curses and become portals to new beginnings. A graduate of Mills College, Mimi Tempest is a multidisciplinary artist and poet that was recently selected to partake in the 2021 Lambda Literary Writers Retreat of emerging LGBTQ voices. Sculptor Lorraine Booner creates art as a way of dealing with personal trauma, and draws parallels between the personal and political.
The Black Woman is God: Reclaim, Reconfigure, Re-Remember is on view at SOMArts Cultural Center from Thursday, November 7–Saturday, December 12, 2020 with timed entry ticketing. is made accessible through the website and includes visitor safety guidelines.
A virtual opening reception will be streamed on Friday, November 13, 3–6pm featuring opening remarks by Mayor London Breed and Dr. Runoko Rashidi, music and dance performances, and artist talks.
Exhibiting Artists at SOMArts Cultural Center
Ajuan Mance
Alise Eastgate
Ashara Ekundayo
Cynthia Brannvall
Diamela Cutino
Ebony Iman Dallas
Joan Tarika Lewis
Karen Seneferu
Karin Turner
Lorraine Bonner
Maddy Clifford
Mimi Tempest
Nicole Dixon
Paula de Joie
Stacy Mootoo
Taylor Mosley
Tiffany Conway
Curators
Karen Seneferu
Melorra Green
COVID–19 Safety Protocols
SOMArts Cultural Center has implemented city and state regulations to maximize the safety of guests
To learn more, visit:
Calendar Listings
The Black Woman is God: Reclaim, Reconfigure, Re–Remember
SOMArts Cultural Center
On view November 7–December 12, 2020
Gallery hours: Wednesday–Friday, 1–7pm, Saturday–Sunday, 12–5pm
Multi disciplinary exhibition featuring over 60 new works by Black women employing painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, film/video, mixed, and new media.
To learn more, visit:
The Black Woman is God Virtual Opening Reception
Friday, November 13, 3–6pm
Virtual reception featuring opening remarks by Mayor London Breed and Dr. Runoko Rashidi, music and dance performances, and artist talks.
To learn more, visit:
The Black Woman is God at African American Art & Culture Complex
On view Thursday, October 29, 2020
To learn more, visit:
The Black Woman is God Artist Talk at Mills College
Friday, November 13, 3:30–4:45pm
Moderated by Dr. Ajuan Mance, this virtual artist talk features Renee Cox, Harmonia Rosales and Karen Seneferu in conversation.
To learn more, visit:
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ABOUT SOMARTS CULTURAL CENTER
SOMArts Cultural Center, founded in 1979, cultivates access to the arts within the Bay Area by collaborating with community-focused artists and organizations. Together, we engage the power of the arts to provoke just and fair inclusion, cultural respect and civic participation.
SOMArts plays a vital role in the arts ecosystem by helping activate the arts citywide. We do this by providing space and production support for non-profit events, as well as fairs and festivals throughout the Bay Area, and offering a robust program of art exhibitions, classes, events and performances that are affordable and accessible to all. SOMArts’ exhibition programs receive critical support from the San Francisco Arts Commission and The San Francisco Foundation, and are sponsored in part by a grant from Grants for the Arts.
SOMArts is located at 934 Brannan Street—between 8th and 9th—within 2 blocks of 101, I-80, Muni lines and bike paths. For public information call 415-863-1414 or visit somarts.org. Stay connected by following us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.