That Which Compels Me So…
November 18, 2023 – January 13, 2024
Opening Reception
Saturday, November 18, 2-6 pm
Featuring Jerrell Gibbs, Fabiola Jean-Louis,
Ya La’Ford, and Megan Lewis
| artwork preview | Tea with Myrtis is Back!
Galerie Myrtis is honored to introduce painter Jerrell Gibbs as the latest addition to its esteemed roster of artists. Gibbs is set to make his debut in the upcoming exhibition, “That Which Compels Me So…,” a survey and celebration of artists who have joined the gallery since 2021. Joining Gibbs in this exhibition are the exceptional talents of Fabiola Jean-Louis, Ya La’Ford, and Megan Lewis. Each artist brings their unique perspective and creative practice to the fore, resulting in a diverse and thought-provoking collection of works.
Through their respective creative practices, the artists in “That Which Compels Me So” invite viewers to contemplate the intricate interplay of memories, personal reflections, and the imaginative forces that fuel their artistic processes. This exhibition celebrates African American artistry and reflects the diverse and dynamic range of talent within Galerie Myrtis’s growing portfolio of artists.
Megan Lewis
Love Will Come Thru, 2023
Oil, acrylic and glitter on canvas, 48 x 48 ″
About the Artist’s
Jerrell Gibbs (b.1988, Baltimore, MD) is a painter committed to creating authentic and truthful work, and he reveals Black men as Godfearing husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons. His paintings highlight joy, beauty, and the mundane, all components within the vastness of Black life. The compositions, which are often taken from his family archive, focus on placement, size, and proportion as much as they do on mark-making and painterly gestures. His assertions of legacy highlight the performative nature of heritage and displacement of an audience unaccustomed to more extensive and wide-ranging portrayals of Black life.
In presenting a deeply personal and emotionally resonant collection of paintings, Gibbs delves into the intimate realm of family life. His canvases breathe with the spirit of kinship as he transforms family photographs into vibrant portraits. Through his masterful use of color, texture, and composition, Gibbs imbues these cherished family moments with new life and emotion. The artist invites us to share in his family’s joys, sorrows, and everyday experiences, making us feel like participants in his own familial journey.
Gibbs’ artistic endeavors are a compelling exploration of the vital processes of preserving and passing down traditions. His work conveys the significance of safeguarding cultural heritage, rituals, and practices to ensure continuity across generations. His work bridges the past, present, and future, emphasizing the enduring importance of traditions in shaping and enriching our cultural identity.
Fabiola Jean-Louis (b. 1978, Port Au Prince, Haiti) a photographer and conceptual artist, engages viewers in a critical dialogue on representation, race, and power dynamics. In her Rewriting History series, Jean-Louis skillfully reinterprets and reimagines the traditions of 15th to 19th-century portraiture in stunning tableaus as an exploration of Black women’s historical erasure and marginalization. She has adorned her subjects in ornate dresses and embellished slippers constructed of woven paper crafted entirely by her hands.
In the equally compelling Polaroids series, Jean-Louis’ sepia tone imagery serves as a visual commentary on the enduring strength and resilience of Black women throughout history, highlighting their agency in shaping their own narratives and identities.
Through her photography and storytelling, Jean-Louis effectively challenges historical narratives by centering Black women in her compositions while questioning the broader societal structures and systems perpetuating inequality.
Ya La’Ford (b. 1979, Bronx, NY) is a multidisciplinary artist who works across various artistic mediums, including painting, sculpture, installation, video, sound, and printmaking. One of her notable series is the “Ancestral Portals: Future of Human Civilization (3355 AD),” featured in this exhibition.
Ford’s prints aim to create a visual atmosphere as a conduit for spiritual reflection. She pursues an understanding of the relationship and symbolic trajectories of the human experience and pulls them towards the spiritually sublime. Employing intricate techniques and hand and machine-sown embellishments, she creates visually arresting prints that reflect her deep connection to her cultural heritage. Geometric shapes, abstract patterns, and symbolisms give viewers a glimpse into her rich artistic lineage and the cultural influences shaping her creative vision.
Megan Lewis (b. 1989, Baltimore, MD) is an accomplished painter known for using various mediums to create paintings that delve into critical perspectives on social, historical, and cultural issues related to Black life. Her recent body of work explores the Black male experience, particularly within the context of Baltimore.
Through her vivid and evocative compositions, Lewis provides viewers with thought-provoking portrayals of the daily lives of men in her community. Her artworks, whether based on real-life experiences or imagined scenarios, offer a window into the multifaceted ways men of the African diaspora navigate the world.
In her paintings, Lewis captures the universal truth of the shared concerns that Black men face in their lives, including the desire to assert their personhood, gain respect, and challenge the stereotypical beliefs and biases that often shape perceptions of who they are. Her work thus serves as a powerful reflection of the challenges and triumphs of Black men in their quest for dignity, recognition, and the dismantling of harmful stereotypes.