‘Y’all Don’t Hear Me: The Black Appalachia’ exhibition happening now
JOHNSON CITY – “Y’all Don’t Hear Me: The Black Appalachia,” curated by East Tennessee State University graduate Kreneshia Whiteside-McGee and featuring artists, poets and musicians from the 13 states of the Appalachian region, is on display over the next month at both the Slocumb Galleries and Tipton Gallery.
Whiteside-McGee said the title “Y’all Don’t Hear Me” was inspired by her grandfather,
a pastor, and as a “statement by someone who feels disregarded.”
“You don’t hear us because you’re not listening. You’re not listening because you
don’t know we exist,” she said. “I want to amplify our narrative and remind people
that there are quality artists creating in the mountains.”
The exhibition is on display at Slocumb Galleries, located on ETSU’s main campus at
232 Sherrod Drive through Sept. 26, and Tipton Gallery, located in downtown Johnson
City at 126 Spring Street, through Oct. 7.
The featured artists are Amanda Banks, Jabari Browne, Kamau Bostic, Kywaun Davenport,
Laiza Fuhrmann, Nikki Giovanni, Genesis The Greykid, Vandorn Hinnant, Frederick Johnson,
Ashley Jones, Mary Martin, Charlie Newton, Iantha Newton, Mikael Owunna, Travis Prince,
Walter Reap, Justin Rocha, RaMell Ross, Jessica Scott-Felder, Larry Silver, Myke “Murda”
Stallone, Moses Sumney, Raymond Thompson, Carrington Ware, Crystal Wilkinson and Coco
Villa.
Public engagement is a central part of the exhibition and a result of the interdisciplinary
efforts of a range of ETSU departments and programs.
Well-known poet Nikki Giovanni will present a poetry reading, question-and-answer session and book-signing on Sept. 20 at ETSU’s Brown Hall auditorium from 6-8 p.m.
“We are incredibly blessed to have a poet of the stature of Nikki Giovanni come to
the beautiful campus of East Tennessee State University. Our faculty, staff, students
and the region will benefit from exposure to one of the most distinguished living
poets in the United States,” said Dr. Daryl Carter, director of Black American Studies at ETSU.
Other opportunities for the public include:
Exhibition receptions at the Tipton Gallery from 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 2 and Oct. 7.- The UMOJA Festival on Sept. 10 from noon-8 p.m. in downtown Johnson City.
- The film showing of Academy-nominated “Hale County This Morning, This Evening” by RaMell Ross on Sept. 14 at ETSU’s Ball Hall auditorium at 7 p.m.
For additional information, contact ETSU Tipton and Slocumb Galleries Director Karlota Contreras-Koterbay at contrera@etsu.edu. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at (423) 439-8346.