By Hailey Stangebye

Photos courtesy of Bryant Anthony (Bee1ne)

For his contribution to The Gallery at the Gateway Film Center, Bryant Anthony (or Bee1ne) chose a piece that has a history with the Harlem Renaissance celebration in Columbus. It was on display during the Harlem Renaissance Experience at Gallery Hop in Aug. 2018.

The painting, “Beauty from Chaos,” is a collaboration between Bee1ne and Mr. Robot Geek. It speaks to the collaborative nature of this celebration, as well as the importance of love for self and others.

“It’s raw emotion in a freestyle piece, and it’s both of our styles put together,” Bryant says. “We felt that this piece was already essential to the Harlem Renaissance project after it was displayed at gallery hop. So we wanted to continue to have it on display, instead of having it sit in a studio. And we thought Gateway was the perfect place to continue to display this piece.”

“Beauty from Chaos” speaks to a motif throughout much of Bee1ne’s work, which is love. For Bryant, love is one of the most important components to the Harlem Renaissance.

“I realized that people of the Harlem Renaissance did it for themselves and nobody else. They showed each other love because they couldn’t get love from the outside world.”

“I realized that people of the Harlem Renaissance did it for themselves and nobody else,” Bryant says. “They showed each other love because they couldn’t get love from the outside world.”

“Beauty from Chaos” will be on display at The Gallery at the Gateway Film Center through February 2019.

By Hailey Stangebye

Thanksgiving is just a few days away. This holiday is a wonderful time for reflection, community and gratitude. When we look back on all that the Harlem Renaissance campaign has created over the past year, we’re thankful for Donna and Larry James.

Without Donna and Larry, this citywide campaign wouldn’t exist. Their collective vision for the future of our community makes Columbus a better place to live every day.

Through their unique capacity to build relationships and partnerships between organizations, Larry and Donna continue to shape this city’s future.

“I think the Harlem Renaissance campaign is the poster child for how to better bring the arts collectively together.”

“I think the Harlem Renaissance campaign is the poster child for how to better bring the arts collectively together,” Larry says. “You have 30 arts organizations and 150+ black artists celebrating education, entertainment, exposure and a quality of life.”

Larry and Donna were able to garner support from so many different organizations because they gave each collective the autonomy to contribute in their own way.

“The genius of the Harlem Renaissance is the simplicity of it,” Donna says. “When everyone can do what they do, but they’re focused on a common theme… I think that’s important for the future. I’m hoping this is a precedent for collaboration, not just in the arts, but across the community. Because there’s no way that we can get the things done that need to be done for the people who need it if we’re not collaborating.”

“The genius of the Harlem Renaissance is the simplicity of it. When everyone can do what they do, but they’re focused on a common theme… I think that’s important for the future. I’m hoping this is a precedent for collaboration, not just in the arts, but across the community.”

Donna says that creating opportunity through collaboration is one of the core factors that motivates their efforts.

“It’s difficult to talk about what motivates you, because you can achieve a certain level of success individually. But you have to figure out what the collective piece is,” Larry says. “So, relationship building really drives [us]. And exceptional relationships, as we formed with the Harlem Renaissance, can help you get better. That’s what motivates us. To always strive to be better.”

Thank you, Donna and Larry, for showing us that we are better and stronger when we work together.