GENESIS BE: PEOPLE NOT THINGS
TAG Gallery is proud to announce the start of new curatorial programming in our upstairs loft gallery. Looking to expand upon its mission to contribute to the richness and diversity of art and culture in Los Angeles, the gallery seeks to stage exhibitions that foster camaraderie between a wide range of artists through collaboration, curation, and the exchange of ideas. The first of these exhibitions will feature multidisciplinary works by musician and artist Genesis Be, curated by TAG artist and gallery president Karen Sarrow.
The exhibition entitled People Not Things is comprised of a series of paintings, music videos, documentary clips, and poetry that will also travel to New York City’s Bishop Gallery in August. People Not Things explores human connection and Genesis Be’s own social, political and romantic relationships as a queer woman of color growing up in Deep South Mississippi. Be’s ‘barrier’ style strokes seem to reflect her personal and political struggle to heal conflict and bridge the divides that prevent human connection.
The artist states, “The paintings of People Not Things examine human behavior through the contrasted lens of the “Jinn”, our cosmic counterparts. All of the humans depicted wear hats and are often separated by ledges and barriers that they have created or that they have imagined."
Genesis Be (G.Be) captivated America with a bold theatric protest against the Mississippi State Flag that went viral in 2016. Publications such as Billboard, NY Daily News, ABC News, VICE Impact and more featured the young artist and activist, allowing her to share her message of racial healing, gender equality, and youth empowerment. In 2017, she was the subject of a Moral Courage Project documentary “Confederate Pride, White Supremacy & My State Flag” and continues to facilitate civil discourse to improve race relations in her home state Mississippi. Her unique perspective explores and challenges our concepts of humanity, exploitation, race dynamics, gender identity and sensuality using multimedia. The photography and music videos of People Not Things are by Rae Maxwell. Documentary clips are produced by Moral Courage Project. Learn more about People Not Things at peoplenotthings.com
For Inquiries:
gallery@taggallery.net | bookgenesisbe@gmail.com | karen@sarrowstudio.com
