Michelle Gainey, Fantasy Zellars curate 'Resilience and revolution' exhibit

First Lady of Pittsburgh Michelle Gainey is creating spaces for Black and brown artists to showcase their work.

A recently opened exhibition, “Resilience and revolution: Honoring Black History and Women’s History through art” at the Dentons Cohen & Grigsby Gallery Downtown, honors Black history and women’s history through art. It is curated by Gainey and Fantasy Zellars.

“Black and brown artists are facing a lot of obstacles to connect with opportunities to exhibit artwork and be shown in particular types of galleries,” Gainey said.

Providing the opportunity to be seen and have the work purchased is pivotal.

“But the gallery also gave artists the opportunity to connect with one another. There were people from Pittsburgh who are artists who didn’t know of one another,” Gainey said. “Now, they are able to support one another and show up for each other to build that community.”

Morgan Overton said being one of the featured artists in the exhibition means a lot to her because it is critical to carry on the legacy of artistry and Black art in Pittsburgh.

“Centering Black artists is not the norm here,” said Overton, who has three pieces in the exhibit. “My work started with wanting to honor people who came before us. A lot of times we see these black-and-white photos of historical figures and it can feel out of reach. What I seek to do through my portraiture is honor people in living color.”

Her watercolor portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. honors his legacy in the Civil Rights Movement. In the exhibition, Overton also has a portrait of Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress. That piece was done in acrylic during a live painting at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh.

“Being able to bring her legacy to life in front of kids meant a lot. I also am inspired by her as someone in politics,” Overton said.

The last piece in the exhibit is a portrait of Roberto Clemente, initially part of the Humanitarian Hall of Fame Awards for the Pennsylvania State Democratic Convention, where it was presented to Roberto Clemente Jr.

“I am really grateful to Michelle for wanting to center those who use tools to bring what’s possible to life,” Overton said. “Artists are the ones speaking truth.”

Hayal Anavatan, 12, a student at the Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) magnet school, is the youngest artist featured in the gallery. Her painting “Spreading Peace,” of Nelson Mandela, honors Mandela’s legacy as an activist and former president of South Africa. After learning about Mandela, Anavatan was inspired and painted a portrait of him holding a dove.

“Behind his smile, he holds a lot of pain throughout the years of being in jail and standing up for his rights, but used his obstacle as part of the process and I admired how he still smiled,” Anavatan said.

Her second work in the exhibition is the painting “The Light of Hope.”

“Women are often underseen and the darkness around her represents the unseen — but the light in her hand represents the hope,” Anavatan said.

Overton hopes this becomes the norm throughout the year, not just during Black or Women’s History Month.

The exhibit will be up through the end of April. It’s located at the offices of law firm Dentons Cohen & Grigsby, 625 Liberty Ave.

Gainey is also curating an exhibition for Mayor Ed Gainey’s conference room to be unveiled March 21 for Women’s History Month, and for the August Wilson Block Party at the August Wilson House in late April.

Gainey noted the various conversations that take place in the mayor’s conference room, from transportation to community safety.

“When they see the art on the wall, they have said they are in awe and inspired by the amount and level of talent … sometimes that can pivot how a conversation begins or ends.”