art gallery

The Griot Arts space takes inspiration from the living rooms and home-spaces central to Black life described by scholar bell hooks in her book Art on My Mind. The vivid hues are reminiscent of candy-colored homes of the U.S. South and the Caribbean as well as African wax-print textiles. Textures of vintage rattan, wicker, and woven straw honor family porches and stoops where griot-elders, grannies, and woke aunties and uncles often hold court and hold space.

The gallery at Griot Arts highlights the work of local and regional BIPOC artists. Here, the art is meant to be part of the everyday life and spirit of the space. As a whole, the gallery and bookstore are curated to “announce” the visual, literary, and cultural complexity of Black people as an invitation toward healing, communal care, reconciliation, and liberation for all of us.

Throughout the Griot Arts space you will also see items, some books, and artifacts brought into the space for their historical or cultural significance. These items can be enjoyed in the space and are not for sale.