Salvage: Reclaiming Memphis' Black Aesthetic
May 1 - June 8, 2019 • State of Tennessee Gallery
Included with museum admission
Artist Reception: Friday, May 10, 2019 • 6pm
The National Civil Rights Museum is partnering with The CLTV (Collective) along with Memphis in May, to own and celebrate narratives often ignored in the mainstream visual story. The CLTV has curated SALVAGE: Reclaiming Memphis’ Black Aesthetic, a visual art exhibition. SALVAGE is showing through June 8, 2019 in the museum’s State of Tennessee Gallery, and is included with museum admission.
SALVAGE exclusively premieres original work from Memphis-based, African-American artists including Amber George, Le Marquee La Flora, Lester Merriweather, Cheeto Ryan, Mia Saine, Siphne A. Sylve and Eso Tolson.
Each year, the museum partners with Memphis in May to honor a celebrated nation during the festival. With Memphis as the featured locale in 2019 in tribute to the Bicentennial Celebration, “Bring Your Soul,” the museum is partnering with The CLTV to highlight Memphis artists who are carving a future to artistic freedom.
The CLTV 's mission and goal is to serve Black artists and their communities in Memphis by providing art infrastructure development, community and youth-oriented programming, and print and digital media to promote and critically review black art initiatives. These efforts together recenter black creatives as social change agents, thought leaders, and economic drivers for the city, bringing opportunities for expression, hope and economic growth to low income individuals and disenfranchised communities. It operates under the belief that by empowering Black artists, we can employ their creativity to empower the Black community and shift the culture of Memphis.
The mission of the Memphis in May International Festival is to promote and celebrate Memphis culture, foster economic growth, and enhance international awareness through education. It is acommunity-based organization that contributes to the economic growth of the community, fosters civic pride, promotes awareness of Memphis heritage and builds international relationships. Memphis in May hosts the city's largest events like the Beale Street Music Festival and the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.