Black Futures
Art & Sound Showcase
In the northeast of Washington D.C., there is a small coffee shop tucked away in an alley in Union Market. In its backspace, a crowd of students gather in formal attire, outfitted in all-black and dancing to a set hosted by student DJ's. This was Howard University's Art Investment Club, holding their official launch event at The Village, DC. The walls were populated with student art, offering vibrant visuals to the space as students danced to Gen-Z favorites and Pharrell throwbacks featured throughout the DJ's sets.
The event's title, "Black Futures," was a clever juxtaposition of the event's date in February's Black History Month, elevating its significance and enlisting a positive agenda for the month.
Held in The Village, DC
Photos & Short Article by Chris Esmele
Upon entry, the event resembled a party more than it did an art exhibit. As I combed through the crowd, looking for the photographers and painters who had their work on display, almost everyone I met was attending to support these artist. This showcase was not a typical exhibit. It was a far more gratifying effort to celebrate creativity in Howard's art scene. It was a ceremony of expression.
Experiencing the display of one's work in this space, surrounded by a lively crowd of peers and supporters dancing their Saturday night away in their favorite outfits, creates a youthful dimension of appreciation for the art itself.It achieves an atmosphere that can only be attained by this organization.
As Mahammad Mangum, founder of The Village, DC, looked out over the crowd of talented and passionate creatives and contributors moshing and chanting, he knew the space enacted the effect that the HU Art Investment Club desired. "This is what Black Future looks like," he stated, "all of these black kids expressing themselves." Black Futures achieved its goal of providing a platform for the next generation of black artists to showcase their creativity, celebrate their culture, and inspire future generations to come.