Blak Grit, an art exhibition of Black male vulnerability

Curator seangarrison discusses Liberian artist Flahn Manly’s featured piece “WAR CHILD.”

The art exhibition Blak Grit seeks to destigmatize the vulnerability of Black men.

The group exhibition features work by curator and abstract artist seangarrison, collage artist Drew Hammond, muralist and visual artist Miko Simmons, afro-futurist illustrator Ron Brown, visual artist and activist Flahn Manly, 3D artist Shea Maze, and realistic illustrative artist Nnamdi “DIO” Darlington. 

seangarrison says Blak Grit is about defying the stereotypes that Black men are faced with when it comes to self expression.

“A lot of us have issues with expressing ourselves - our emotions and things of that nature - and also coming together to do things that are positive that people can see. We get together off camera. But I always feel it's good for people to see us come together and do something positive and creative, when the stereotype is that when we get together we create chaos.”

Curator and visual artist seangarrison’s featured work "They are still with us."

seangarrison says Blak Grit is a positive representation of Black male authenticity, something he recognized was needed from a young age. He says his artistry first began with writing when he realized suppressing his feelings was doing him more harm than good.

“I'm the product of an abusive household. My father was physically abusive towards my mother,” he explained. “It was so stressful for me that… I had a stroke at eight years old. The left hemisphere of my body was paralyzed for 30 days. When I look back at that and I tell people about that story, it's the stress of all the stuff that I had seen and held on to. And I didn't have a way to let it go. And if you can't get it out, it does explode.”

Sculpture artist Shea Maze’s piece “Sankofa,” made of gourds, mixed media, stain, and natural pigment.

seangarrison says he began to write as a way to escape, for self care, and also as a way to get things off his chest. It served him through his move from a two-parent household in Detroit to being raised by a single mom in Minnesota. Eventually he transitioned to visual art.

“I started painting just almost out of a humbug. I did something for a friend of mine who had a store, and the cat gave me a $100 check. And I was like, wow, this is super cool,” he said. 

Now the long-time creative says he is excited to show the effects of challenging toxic masculinity. The exhibit features themes of beauty, joy, hope, love and authenticity – all of which he says is amplified through brotherhood.

“The tagline is ‘seven artists, seven vibes, one soul,’” says seangarrison.

Blak Grit runs through August 17 at the Northrup King Building in Minneapolis. Tickets are $7.