By Hailey Stangebye

Photos by Marshall Shorts

On Valentines Day, the Gateway Film Center will host a special screening of “My Great Day in Harlem” for children from Columbus City Schools.

The documentary, which follows five local artists on a landmark journey to Harlem, was originally released at the Gateway Film Center on Nov. 30, 2018. On Thursday, it returns to the big screen to inspire the young minds of Columbus. After the film, these lucky kids will have an opportunity to ask each of the featured artists questions about their experiences and the realities of being a creative in this city.

“My Great Day in Harlem” is more than a documentary. It’s an opportunity for kids in our community to connect with and relate to passionate creatives. The people featured in this film are our contemporary trailblazers. They’re our role models for the next generation.

Meet the stars of “My Great Day in Harlem”

TRIPP FONTANE

“Art is not a right. It is a necessity by virtue of the people… I believe that art is the translation of the cosmos.”

Originally from the small town of Xenia, Ohio, Tripp Fontane moved to Columbus to find new opportunities in the realm of poetry. Before breaking into the spoken-word scene, Tripp focused primarily on rap. That all changed when he went to an open mic and decided to perform a song without the beat. People started calling him a poet, and Tripp says he still hasn’t corrected them. Today, he boasts international acclaim.

SAMARA TILLMAN

“We have so many talented people here. I think that the vision for the future of fashion in Columbus is bright.”

Samara was born and raised in Columbus. She left for college, but after graduating from Kentucky State with her degree in fashion merchandising and business management, Samara returned to Columbus where she ultimately opened a fashion boutique in 2005. For the next five years, she ran boutiques all around the Columbus area. Today, she runs a dance studio and continues to design. She plans to release her next clothing line in fall of 2019.

JAY SWIFA

“Whether I affect one person, or five people, or a million people, I just feel like I have insight to add on the world today.”

Jay is a musician who hails from the north side Columbus, but he feels close to every corner of the city. He grew up surrounded by creative energy — his father was a musician and his mother was a dancer. With all of those influences, Jay developed a witty, creative sound from a young age. After lots of success with his former group, Fly Union, Jay set out to work on his solo sound.

PERCY KING

“The older I get, the more I understand what it means to celebrate your heroes. My work celebrates heroes.”

Percy is a Columbus native who was raised on the south side of the city. He says that he’s always been an artist and a creative, but he didn’t think of pursuing art as a career until recently. Instead, Percy devoted most of his time to his football career. His creative outlet over the years became woodwork and home improvement. Today, he’s transitioned that passion for woodwork into fine art portraits carved out of layers of wood.

LORI LINDSEY

“Whenever I am honored to dance in front of other people, my goal — my intent — is to move them. Whether it’s to think a different thought, to take action on something, maybe it’s just to brighten their day or to  give them hope. It’s more than steps to a song.”

Lori has lived across the globe, from Dublin to L.A., but she’s originally from Columbus. Her passion is dance, which she started at only 3 or 4 years old. In high school, Lori briefly stopped dancing after hearing hurtful gossip from the dance community. Today, she’s proud to say that she doesn’t let someone else’s opinion define her or determine her future. Now, Lori inspires young dancers at Elite Performance Academy.

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos courtesy of Alvoyce Douglas

Alvoyce “Voszi” Douglas began drawing fashion designs from a very young age. Four years old, to be specific. She says that while she and her brother, Sylvester, waited for school to start they would draw characters. They drew an ongoing saga that they called “The Lovers.” He drew the male figure and she drew the female. And — as is to be expected — Voszi’s character was always impeccably dressed.

Today, Voszi is a Columbus-based fashion designer with two clothing lines: Voszi Designs and the Alvoyce Collection. She’s also an artist who designs jewelry and accessories.

“I always wanted to be a designer. I didn’t know that I’d have to make clothes. I really thought somebody was going to sew for me because I was so fabulous,” Voszi laughs. “I drew my whole life. But I started sewing when I was 25.”

Learning to sew had a profound impact on Voszi’s style. She quickly developed a dislike for patterns. Instead, she prefers to sew more freely. The pieces in her collection are versatile, bold and, above all, undeniably Voszi.

“I do one of a kind designs. No buttons, no zippers and no patterns. And I make everything this way: coats, jackets, dresses, accessories, everything,” Voszi says. “I use a lot of colors and I like to mix patterns together. My clothes aren’t conservative at all. When myself or a client is wearing one of my designs and walks into the room, some people might love it. Some people might say, ‘Oh, that’s too much.’ Some people might not like it at all. But everyone will notice it.”

“I use a lot of colors and I like to mix patterns together. My clothes aren’t conservative at all. When myself or a client is wearing one of my designs and walks into the room, some people might love it. Some people might say, ‘Oh, that’s too much.’ Some people might not like it at all. But everyone will notice it.”

Voszi and her designs stand out in a crowd. She’s never been one to shy away from honest self expression. That’s, in part, why she developed her own annual fashion show.

“When I started in 1982, people wouldn’t let me do shows. A lot of them weren’t feeling what I was doing,” Voszi says. “So that’s how I kind of birthed having my own show.”

In 2018, Voszi hosted her 36th annual fashion show. And she has no intention of slowing down. In fact, this year Voszi might host two fashion shows in Columbus — one in the spring and one in the fall.

Despite the resistance Voszi faced in Columbus during the start of her fashion career, she managed to pave a way to success. The places that once rejected her designs now proudly include them in shows. Now, Voszi hopes to create a space that supports emerging designers.

“I’d like to see more boutiques for small business people to show their clothing. I also plan to have my own fashion house and studio space with an area for emerging artists because I remember what it was like,” Voszi says. “Fashion is just important to me. So is art. That’s because fashion is art. To me, fashion is the art that you’re wearing.”

“Fashion is just important to me. So is art. That’s because fashion is art. To me, fashion is the art that you’re wearing.”

Contact Voszi

Voszi Designs: 614.483.4099

alvoyce.douglas@gmail.com

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

Photos by Marshall Shorts

When Percy King finally made it to the NFL after years of hard work, he had an epiphany: real people play in the NFL.

“Looking around, I thought, ‘The NFL always seemed larger than life. It always seemed unattainable.’ But, ultimately, it’s just football,” Percy says. “We were running the same amount of laps and running the same plays, except with so much more at stake. But, at the end of the day, it’s still the same game I’ve been playing since I was young.”

This realization didn’t demean the value of his hard work. If anything, it solidified Percy’s philosophy that young, everyday people can — and do — achieve greatness. Whether the ultimate goal is play in the NFL, run a business or impact the world, real people reach those audacious goals every day.  

Unfortunately, Percy’s football career was short-lived. Professionally, he worked in sales until about three years ago when Percy launched himself on an entirely different path. Today, he’s a full-time artist.

Building Portraits

To the unfamiliar eye, Percy’s decision to pursue art looks unexpected. In reality, fine art represents the culmination of all of his life experiences.

As a child growing up in Columbus, Percy says drawing was a form of entertainment. He would go to the Shepherd Library on the corner of 5th and Nelson to pick up books on artists like Norman Rockwell. Then, he would meticulously copy his favorite images. The more he practiced drawing, the more skilled he became.

“I became really good at drawing, but never really saw myself as an artist or wanting to pursue an art career,” Percy says. “At a young age, I wanted to join the army or be a football player like any other 10-year-old at the time.”

Percy devoted nearly all of his time to sports. After his professional football career ended, he still sketched occasionally, but it wasn’t as fruitful as before.

“The issue was my shoulders. They were so banged up from football that I had pinched nerves. I actually dislocated my shoulders in college. It left me with bursitis,” Percy says. “Any time I sat down in certain positions or made certain wrist motions, my entire arm — my nerves — would just inflame up. It was really painful. So it was just very uncomfortable to draw.”

“The issue was my shoulders. They were so banged up from football that I had pinched nerves. I actually dislocated my shoulders in college. It left me with bursitis. Any time I sat down in certain positions or made certain wrist motions, my entire arm — my nerves — would just inflame up. It was really painful. So it was just very uncomfortable to draw.”

That shoulder damage left Percy in search of another creative outlet. But he didn’t have to look far beyond his front door.

“That outlet ended up being woodwork. I bought my first house when I was 23, and the first thing I bought was a table saw because I knew that I wanted to fix up my house. I didn’t necessarily know what I was going to do with the saw, but I bought it anyway,” Percy says. “My philosophy was that if anything ever went wrong in my house or I needed to upgrade something, then I was going to do it myself.”

“My philosophy was that if anything ever went wrong in my house or I needed to upgrade something, then I was going to do it myself.”

After decades of refurbishing and upgrading homes, Percy became an expert with the tools of his trade. Years of never-ending home improvement projects take a toll, though. When Percy and his wife moved to their current home, they decided to buy a much newer house.

That meant that, for the first time in 10 years, Percy didn’t have a project.

In his newfound free time, Percy researched and experimented with making furniture. Finally, he decided he wanted to teach himself how to make inlays.

“I drew this picture of Bob Marley that I’d seen to teach myself the inlay process, and I was really mistakenly going down the wrong road,” Percy says. “I kind of knew I was doing the inlay wrong, but I had a feeling that this is something that I liked. I eventually decided that it was a piece of art.”

Percy thought that the piece was nearly complete. He was about to glue all of the components together on a flat surface, when he had a realization and thought, “What would it look like if I stacked pieces of wood in between the layers and made it three dimensional?” That was his ‘aha’ moment.

Not long after, Percy transitioned to creating these portraits full time, and he’s dubbed his process “The Shaolin Wood Technique.” For Percy, the subject of each piece is a strategic choice.

“The older I get, the more I understand what it means to celebrate your heroes,” Percy says. “I would like to see some of my heroes celebrated. That’s how I honed in on my first series, which was the legends of hip hop.”

“I would like to see some of my heroes celebrated. That’s how I honed in on my first series, which was the legends of hip hop.”

Today, Percy is one of five local artists featured in our upcoming documentary, “My Great Day in Harlem.” His work illustrates that the spirit of the Renaissance is still alive in the ways that artists create today.

“These people who were creating new music, dance, poetry and literature in the Harlem Renaissance — they’re 20-year-olds. These are young people,” Percy says. “This wasn’t a bunch of old guys sitting around pontificating over brandy. These were people who were out there having fun and, at the same time, contributing to what it means to be American.”

Percy’s Work

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos by Marshall Shorts

Samara Tillman says that fashion is in her blood.

Her mother was a seamstress who could work magic with fabric. So, by the time Samara reached middle school, she was creating designs that her mother brought to life.

“In middle school, I was making up outfits to wear to school,” Samara says. “The first thing I designed was actually a cheerleading uniform. I went to Champion Middle School and, at the time, we didn’t have cheerleaders. So I said we were a spirit team, and I designed a little t-shirt and a skirt and my mom made them.”

Samara decided to attend Kentucky State University, where she earned her degree in fashion merchandising and business management.

“I don’t think there was a ‘deciding’ moment to pursue fashion as my career,” Samara say. “It was just always a part of what I wanted to do. I’ve always said I wanted to be something in fashion… In college I would style my friends when we attended events. We were the only ones at the basketball games wearing  fur shawls and embellished jeans before they were trends.”

“It was just always a part of what I wanted to do. I’ve always said I wanted to be something in fashion… In college I would style my friends when we attended events. We were the only ones at the basketball games wearing  fur shawls and embellished jeans before they were trends.”

After graduating from undergrad, Samara returned to Columbus to work for the Ohio Department of Mental Health. In 2005, she left that job to open her first boutique. She owned and operated E.L.I.T.E. Studios, a fashion boutique with multiple locations, from 2005 to 2010.

Samara’s boutique reflected her unique sense of style.

“I always would describe my style as sophisticated funk. I love being sophisticated. My mom taught me that. Back in the day, a woman didn’t go out unless she had her makeup fully done,  her gloves on, her purse, everything matching. So, I like the sophistication of being a lady and being classy, but I’m also funky,” Samara says. “My hair is normally shaved on both sides, and I like individuality. I want to be ladylike, but I don’t want to look like every other lady.”

“I always would describe my style as sophisticated funk. I love being sophisticated. My mom taught me that. Back in the day, a woman didn’t go out unless she had her makeup fully done,  her gloves on, her purse, everything matching. So, I like the sophistication of being a lady and being classy, but I’m also funky.”

While fashion is still an integral part of Samara’s life, she’s currently on a career path that she never expected. She went from working in fashion, to the nonprofit sector, to education and, ultimately, to dance.

“Today, I’m the owner of a dance studio, which I never expected,” Samara says. “But, I do get to create really fancy, outlandish dance costumes for my dancers. So, I took a turn from ready-to-wear fashion to performance wear.”

Despite her shift in focus, Samara says that people are already asking her when she’ll release her next ready-to-wear line. For those that are curious, she’s currently in “creation” mode, and hopes to release her revamped ready-to-wear line by Fall 2019.

“Columbus is constantly making its place on the fashion map,” Samara says. “We have so many talented people here. I think that the vision for the future is bright. As long as we keep collaborating, keep providing outlets for those in the fashion industry to showcase who they are in the city and abroad, then the the sky’s the limit.”

“We have so many talented people here. I think that the vision for the future is bright. As long as we keep collaborating, keep providing outlets for those in the fashion industry to showcase who they are in the city and abroad, then the the sky’s the limit.”

Samara is among five, local artists who traveled on a trip from Columbus to Harlem to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance. To commemorate that trip, we’ve created a docuseries that traces the journey of each artist. To see Samara’s trip to Harlem, reserve your seat at our big screen premiere at the Gateway Film Center on November 30.

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos by Marshall Shorts

His father was a musician and his mother was a dancer. Jayswifa jokes that, growing up, he didn’t have a choice but to practice an artistic craft.

In his childhood home on the north side of Columbus, Jayswifa’s father always had a music studio in the basement. His father was also heavily involved in their church, where he was lead musician.

“I went to this church where pretty much every rapper in Columbus went to or came through at some point,” Jayswifa says. “I couldn’t help but be around it because we were young, like 12 or 13. That’s where I started meeting my rhyming friends and I later formed a group. I just couldn’t help but join.”

“I couldn’t help but be around it because we were young, like 12 or 13. That’s where I started meeting my rhyming friends and I later formed a group. I just couldn’t help but join.”

In high school, music transitioned from a hobby to something more for Jayswifa.

“From there, I just never looked back. I always knew it’s what I wanted to do,” Jayswifa says. “When I came to high school, I played sports but then, as I turned 14 or 16, I kind of abandoned all of the sports I was playing and went full time rapping. And making sure I had good grades, too.”

“From there, I just never looked back. I always knew it’s what I wanted to do. When I came to high school, I played sports but then, as I turned 14 or 16, I kind of abandoned all of the sports I was playing and went full time rapping. And making sure I had good grades, too.”

Jayswifa says that music was his sport and his release. After a lot of hard work, his group, Fly Union, rose to notariety. Following the release of their debut album, TGTC (The Greater Than Club), Fly Union rose to the top of the iTunes New Hip Hop chart and worked with artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Pusha T.

About two years ago, the group Fly Union (Jerreau, Iyeball and Jayswifa) decided that it was time for them to focus on their solo careers. Jayswifa assisted Jerreau in production for his debut album “Never How You Plan.” One of the songs from that album, “Really Got It,” gained national attention and was recently selected as part of the NBA 2K19 soundtrack. This year, Jayswifa released his solo project, Enigma.

“Dropping my most recent project was really just about finding myself and getting my feet back in the game.”

“Dropping my most recent project was really just about finding myself and getting my feet back in the game,” Jayswifa says. “I’ve definitely found my voice. But that took a while. I’ve been doing music for this long and never putting out a solo project, and people know me as more of a producer than a rapper. I really wanted to showcase all of my skills.”

This project is just the beginning of Jayswifa’s solo career. He says that he plans to continue honing his craft moving forward.

“I feel like everybody, honestly, does something important,” Jayswifa says. “Whether you affect one person or five people or a million people. I just feel like I have insight to add on the world today.”

Jayswifa is among five, local artists who traveled on a trip from Columbus to Harlem to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance. To commemorate that trip, we’ve created a docuseries that traces the journey of each artist. To see Jayswifa’s trip to Harlem, reserve your seat at our big screen premiere at the Gateway Film Center on November 30.

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos by Marshall Shorts

When Lori Lindsey enters a room her presence is distinct. From her posture to the way she shifts her weight, it’s clear that she possesses a wealth of kinesthetic awareness. That cognizant attention to movement is rooted in years of devotion to dance training.

Lori took her first ballet lesson when she was only 3 or 4 years old. Not long thereafter, she expanded her repertoire to styles such as jazz and tap. Then, after seeing the The Whiz with Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, Lori fell in love with the idea of life on Broadway.

Those aspirations came to a halt, though, before Lori reached high school.

“I overheard someone talking about me in a not-so-positive light. They said, basically, that I would never be dancer, that I don’t look like a dancer and that nobody wanted to see me on stage,” Lori says. “I took on their opinion of me and allowed it to define me. You’ve heard that phrase before: ‘Don’t let somebody’s opinion about you define you or  or your dreams.’ But I was young. And I did.”

“I took on their opinion of me and allowed it to define me. You’ve heard that phrase before: ‘Don’t let somebody’s opinion about you define you or  or your dreams.’ But I was young. And I did.”

Fortunately, Lori was reintroduced to dance as an adult. Today, she  performs professionally, and she was recently selected to participate in the Lincoln Theatre’s ‘Backstage at the Lincoln’ local artist showcase. Moreover, she was among five, local artists selected as part of the Harlem Renaissance campaign to go on a trip to Harlem.

“When I dance is when I feel most beautiful,” Lori says. “Dance is freedom. It allows me to do and be whatever I want to without apologies, without caring about anything else  or anyone else. When I dance, it’s just a release. Truly.”

“When I dance is when I feel most beautiful.”

Lori also has the ability to use her personal reflection through dance to move those that watch her perform. It’s a personally valuable experience for her, but it’s also a form of expression that she intentionally shares with her audience.

“Whenever I am honored to dance in front of other people, my goal — my intent — is to move them,” Lori say. “Whether it’s to think a different thought, to take action on something, maybe it’s just to brighten their day or to  give them hope. It’s more than steps to a song.”

“Whether it’s to think a different thought, to take action on something, maybe it’s just to brighten their day or to  give them hope. It’s more than steps to a song.”

That intention informs each of Lori’s movements, and she knows that she’s on the right path when she hears feedback from her audience.

“What really really gets me is when people want to hug me, or they’ll say, ‘This reminded me of my grandmother,’ or ‘You brought me to tears because I’ve been feeling this,’” Lori says. “That, to me, is so much more than, ‘Hey, you did a great job.’ And because I get that response on a consistent basis, I know that I am supposed to dance. I’m supposed to be dancing to change people. To move people.”

“I’m supposed to be dancing to change people. To move people.”

Lori’s recent journey to Harlem as a part of the Harlem Renaissance celebration also encourages her to push boundaries and move forward with dance. In fact, while walking the streets of Harlem, someone stopped her to ask if she was a dancer.

“I’m thinking, ‘There are thousands of dancers walking around New York all the time.’ I don’t know why this person decided to stop and ask me if I was a dancer,” Lori says. “But, looking at me, they thought I was a dancer.”

Not that someone else’s opinion would impact Lori’s work. Despite the obstacles she faced at a young age , or, perhaps, because of them, Lori encourages everyone around her to pursue their passions without fear.

“I just have this hunger to do more with my art,” Lori says. “If you dream bigger, you welcome those things into your life. And I’m starting to see that. I’m dreaming bigger. I’m working hard. I am going after more opportunities than I did in the past.”

By Hailey Stangebye

As a part of our citywide celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance in Columbus, we took five local, African American artists from Columbus to Harlem. On that journey, they exchanged ideas, made new connections and gained a deeper understanding of the Harlem Renaissance and its impact on our world today.

We captured each treasured moment from that trip to create a powerful documentary. On Friday, Nov. 30, at 6 p.m., the My Great Day in Harlem documentary will premiere at the Gateway Film Center.

This documentary is a multi-part series that follows the journey of each artist, all of whom are masters in their respective creative fields: Tripp Fontane (poet), Samara Tillman (fashion designer), Percy King (visual artist), Lori Lindsey(dancer) and Jay Swifa (musician). Each section of the documentary traces the journey of an individual artist and showcases their unique experience in Harlem.

“The screening of My Great Day in Harlem is more than a film; it’s an opportunity to connect with and support local, black artists. Each segment is inspiring, powerful and particularly important in modern Columbus,” says Chris Jones, COO at Warhol & WALL ST.

In addition to the screening, the event also features live performances and a Q&A session after the film. 

Performances (including hip hop carolers and more) begin at 6 p.m., the documentary begins at 7 p.m. and the Q&A session begins immediately after the screening.

Tickets are free, but you need a ticket! Come join us at the premiere! Register here.

This screening is made possible through the generosity of our sponsors: The Greater Columbus Arts Council, Lbrands, The City of Columbus – Andrew J. Ginther, Mayor, Nationwide, Franklin County – Where Government Works, Crane Group, Cardinal Health, Dispatch Media Group, Lamar Outdoor Advertising and Art Makes Columbus/Columbus Makes Art.

By Hailey Stangebye

Yesterday, the highly anticipated I, Too, Sing America exhibition opened at the Columbus Museum of Art. It represents years of careful curation and collaboration.

Moreover, this exhibition was the catalyst for the broader discussion that led to this citywide celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance in Columbus. It all started a few years ago at the Lincoln Theatre. Wil Haygood was in town hosting a discussion on the release of his most recent publication, Showdown: Thurgood Marshall and the Supreme Court Nomination That Changed America.

Larry James introduced Haygood and, in the audience, the director of the Columbus Museum of Art, Nannette Maciejunes, listened attentively.

“I realized that so much of what Wil had done in his writing kept circling back and touching on the Harlem Renaissance,” Nannette says. “I got the idea that maybe we could invite Wil to be the guest curator of an exhibition here at the museum on the Harlem Renaissance as it approached its hundredth birthday.”

“I got the idea that maybe we could invite Wil to be the guest curator of an exhibition here at the museum on the Harlem Renaissance as it approached its hundredth birthday.”

Luckily, the next morning, Nannette had breakfast with the late Bill Conner, who was, at the time, the director at CAPA. She pitched the idea and Bill immediately pulled out his phone to call Larry James.

Within a week, Larry James, Bill Conner and Wil Haygood were all on board.

“The second thing that happened that I think was really important was an idea that Bill Conner and Larry James had from the beginning, and then Larry carried it to fruition after Bill’s death,” Nannette says. “It was this idea of turning this small idea that Nannette had about an exhibition at the museum into a citywide celebration with 30 plus partners. And I think that has made it so much bigger than it would have been had it just been a show at the museum.”

“It was this idea of turning this small idea that Nannette had about an exhibition at the museum into a citywide celebration with 30 plus partners. And I think that has made it so much bigger than it would have been had it just been a show at the museum.”

The citywide celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance quickly became more than a commemoration of the history of the movement. While this rich history is a crucial component, it also became a living, breathing platform for modern expression that will continue to shape the culture in Columbus.

The museum exhibition reflects that nuanced vitality. It’s about the history of the Harlem Renaissance, but it’s also about the ripple effect that the movement had on American culture.

“We do lots of different kinds of exhibitions,” Nannette says. “What’s distinctive about this one is that it’s a very personal reflection on the Harlem Renaissance. It is about a writer and a thinker who has spent much of his career thinking about how this subject of the Harlem Renaissance intersects with other things that he’s working on. It’s a lifetime of that thinking and that personal reflection on the meaning of the Harlem Renaissance to him in the 21st century that really distinguishes this exhibition.”

“It’s a lifetime of that thinking and that personal reflection on the meaning of the Harlem Renaissance to him in the 21st century that really distinguishes this exhibition.”

The I, Too, Sing America exhibition will be on view through January 20, 2019. With the rich layers of artistic expression around every corner, you could spend multiple visits exploring all that this show has to offer. Nannette says that this exhibit — and art in general — is much more than a luxury.

“I think that the arts are the best of us,” Nannette says. “We throw that phrase of ‘quality of life’ around. Art is so much more than the quality of life. It’s fundamental to life… You take one breath, and you begin to get art. We are aesthetic beings that make things that have to be beautiful, that have to communicate, that have to have meaning. That’s the essence of human life. It’s the essence of being human.”

“We throw that phrase of ‘quality of life’ around. Art is so much more than the quality of life. It’s fundamental to life… You take one breath, and you begin to get art. We are aesthetic beings that make things that have to be beautiful, that have to communicate, that have to have meaning. That’s the essence of human life. It’s the essence of being human.”

For more information on when you can experience the exhibition for yourself, click here.

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos courtesy of Tripp Fontane

A bus ride changed Tripp Fontane’s life.

He was leaving Dayton and heading to a poetry workshop in Cincinnati. As he settled into his seat, the older man next to him struck up a conversation.

“He looked like he was maybe in his 70s. You know, the elevator didn’t necessarily go all the way to the top floor anymore. So he was drifting in and out of the conversation,” Tripp says.

The chatter started simply enough: Where are you from? Where are you going? What do you do? Tripp said that he was a poet, and, in a twist of fate, the older man said that he, too, was a poet. The man began to list names of artists he’d studied under and his friends in the industry.

“And then he just stops and looks off into space,” Tripp says. “And he said, ‘I want you to know something. We’re doing this wrong. We’re doing it wrong.’”

Tripp, a bit caught off guard, asked what he meant.

“As that man starts to pull it together, he said something that has stuck with me and it really changed my life. He said, ‘Art. We’re doing it wrong. Art is not a right. It is a necessity by virtue of the people. Art should not be seen as a luxury, but as, instead, one of the last spiritual languages that we have left.’ And that really shook me to my core,” Tripp says. “And I believe that. I believe that art is the translation of the cosmos.”

“He said, ‘Art. We’re doing it wrong. Art is not a right. It is a necessity by virtue of the people. Art should not be seen as a luxury, but as, instead, one of the last spiritual languages that we have left.’ And that really shook me to my core. And I believe that. I believe that art is the translation of the cosmos.”

Tripp’s artistic medium of choice is spoken-word poetry. But that wasn’t always the case. While he wrote his first poem in the fifth grade, he didn’t embrace it as his vocation until college. Originally, he focused primarily on rap.

“The music I was making wasn’t necessarily appealing because it wasn’t, sonically, what people wanted to hear,” Tripp says. “I don’t consider myself a conscious artists, per se, but my music has been pretty reflective of my life and the lives of those around me. That’s just not the music that was poppin’ at the time.”

His luck changed when he decided to go to an open mic. He watched a young lady perform a spoken-word poem and, while he was familiar with the medium, it wasn’t at the forefront of his mind at the time.

“When I saw her, it kind of all came crashing back, like, ‘Ah man, if I just do one of my songs without the beat, then they don’t really have a choice but to listen.’ So I did it, and people started calling me a poet, and I still haven’t corrected them.”

“When I saw her, it kind of all came crashing back, like, ‘Ah man, if I just do one of my songs without the beat, then they don’t really have a choice but to listen.’ So I did it, and people started calling me a poet, and I still haven’t corrected them.”

Today, Tripp is a big fish with international acclaim in the spoken-word community. In fact, he was recently commissioned to write a piece that he’ll perform next year in Cuba. He’s also one of only five Columbus artists who traveled to Harlem, New York as a part of the city-wide Harlem Renaissance campaign.

That reputation didn’t bloom overnight, though. It took years of practice and persistence to overcome each obstacle he encountered.

“I think one of the huge problems I had early on was just the lack of opportunity,” Tripp says. “Spoken word is still very much underground, as popular as it has been, as popular as its getting now, it’s still a very underground thing. Which I love.

“But, in Dayton, before I became the big fish, I couldn’t get anything. The few shows that there were, no one was trying to book me. And I was performing for free, so I use the term ‘book’ loosely. I was going to Cincinnati for free. I was driving up to Columbus for free. I was driving to Indy for free.”

The limited amount of opportunities in Dayton proved all the more challenging given Tripp’s personal circumstances.

“You get used to the odds being stacked against you. I think any impoverished person, often, is reduced to survival. You don’t necessarily have the luxury of looking down the road and planning long-term,” Tripp says. “You’re really worried about whether you’re going to get this next meal, whether the lights are gonna be on tomorrow, whether you’re going to be able to keep the fridge running and put food in it, you know what I mean? So, a lot of times, I would defeat myself before I ever tried because of my circumstances.”

“You’re really worried about whether you’re going to get this next meal, whether the lights are gonna be on tomorrow, whether you’re going to be able to keep the fridge running and put food in it, you know what I mean? So, a lot of times, I would defeat myself before I ever tried because of my circumstances.”

Despite the obstacles — or, perhaps, because of them — Tripp continued (and continues) to write poetry. That’s because he sees poetry, and art in general, as essential. His craft is not a luxury. It’s a force that reflects and changes the world.

Though he doesn’t tend to dwell on the past, Tripp says that he witnesses the similarities between the Harlem Renaissance 100 years ago and the cultural climate today. He posits that we’re currently in a Renaissance of our own.

“There’s this influx of art. Everybody is picking up a camera now. Everybody is a blogger, everybody is a vlogger, everybody is a writer, everybody is a poet. There is this push against what we are told we are supposed to be, and what we’re told we’re supposed to be doing and the path that we’re supposed to take,” Tripp says. “Every revolution, every cultural shift, every societal shift starts with art. Whether that’s an orator, whether that’s a painter, whether it’s a poet, whether it’s an engineer. Everything starts with art.”

Tripp channels this momentum of revolutionary change in his poems. Not just because the words are beautifully true, and not just because he’s talented, but because art is a necessity by virtue of the people.

Tripp’s poetry is one of the many signs that we’re in a Renaissance. He says that if we’re plugged into this reality and this moment, then we can take a movement and change the course of history.

Tripp Fontane’s Work