An independent curator, fredi has worked with gallery spaces + community partners to strategically develop group exhibitions for various Black visual artists in the Triangle area of North Carolina. Previous events and exhibitions include "An Ode To 'Tokpa" pop-up market at Golden Belt Arts (May 2022); The Reflection in Me children's exhibition (December 2021); The Grey Area Art Showcase at Smashing Boxes (July 2019); Where This Flower Blooms at Golden Belt Arts and Northstar Church of the Arts (May 2019); and We Share the Sun at Golden Belt Arts (November 2018). Her work as a curator has included partnerships with Golden Belt Arts, the Durham Art Guild, and Horizons National.
“WA MI DOUNOU" DINNER SERIES | FALL 2023
I. A LOVE LETTER TO MY KIN: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE AT GOLDEN BELT ARTS
“Perhaps home is not a place but simply an irrevocable condition.” - James Baldwin
As a result of the MAAFA, many African Americans have felt a disconnection from their heritage. But there lives a deeply rooted connection to Home that is interwoven into the fiber of our being and could never be severed. It shows up in our creative work, the foods we eat, and the traditions we uphold. Home is a place we are continually being led to. Wa mi Dounou is Fon for “Come Share A Meal With Me.” An almost untranslatable phrase, it is tied closely to the experience of communing with others at the dinner table and the idea of food as spiritual nourishment. Come and sit with us as we explore the idea of Home and celebrate Benin, West African culture through food, visual art and tradition.
“AN ODE TO TOKPA" POP-UP MARKET AT GOLDEN BELT ARTS
Benin, West Africa, also known as the "Slave Coast" has had a remarkable impact on the West. Much of that impact reveals itself through our stomachs, culinary historian Jessica B. Harris contends in the Netflix documentary High on the Hog. This pop-up market is in reverence to Benin's Danktokpa market—the largest open air market in West Africa, located in Cotonou, Benin. Together we gathered as Africans from across the diaspora in support of the local entrepreneurs in Durham, NC and paid homage to the economical importance 'Tokpa holds for its country. Click HERE to view a recap of the event.
THE REFLECTION IN ME CHILDREN'S EXHIBITION AT KIPP NC
"You are perfectly perfect just the way you are." This exhibition is inspired by the animation The Reflection in Me directed by Marc Colagiovanni and written + illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. After watching the short, First Graders from KIPP NC Public School participated in a reflective circle discussion about self image and self appreciation, sharing their favorite qualities about themselves. Students learned the basics in self-portraiture and created pieces that depict how they see themselves. Their artist statements attest to their self-assurance and individuality.
THE GREY AREA ART SHOWCASE AT SMASHING BOXES
Created in collaboration with artist J. Robertson (Slim), The Grey Area Art Showcase was a group exhibition, featuring 15 visual artists, exploring the spectrum of creativity in the absence of color. All featured artists produced greyscale artwork relying solely on line, shape, space, value, form, and texture to covey their desired message. This style of art scales the subject down to its true essence and is pure and honest in its portrayal. Exhibiting artists included: J. Robertson (Slim), Morgan Crutchfield, Robert C. Swann, Matthew Harris, Malik Baynes, Queshon Cannon, Caleb Gorham, Iseah Jelani, Muslimah Shareef, Kai Des Etages, Todgi J. Dozier, Telvin Wallace, Chris Charles, Don Harris, and Amari McLeod.
WHERE THIS FLOWER BLOOMS AT GOLDEN BELT ARTS
A group installation exhibition featuring 10 visual artists, Where This Flower Blooms explored the many ways these featured artists had been catapulted toward growth and faced with a choice: ascension or stagnation. When we share parts of ourselves that are intimate—our desires, our failures, experiences of trauma and emotional pain—we are not only sharing our own stories, but we are relaying the stories of many others. Where This Flower Blooms invites an often disconnected world to reconnect and awakens a shared sense of vulnerability. Featured artists included: Maya Avery, Valencia Abraham, Kiara Sanders, Shaquim Muldrow, Britney Balmer, Jameela F. Dallis, PhD., Will Jenkins, Leah Young, Miriam Ximil, and Shamonique Miles. to view the promotional photos for Where This Flower Blooms.
WE SHARE THE SUN AT GOLDEN BELT ARTS
Creative Direction by Perk + Niel, Kennedi Carter, Photography, 2018.
We Share the Sun surveyed human connection to celestial bodies. We possess an innate desire to understand more about the self and many use astrology as a medium to aid in the quest to self-discovery. Failure to embark on this journey cheats us of the opportunity to understand who we are, what we desire, and our greater purpose while here on earth. We Share The Sun served as a story of empowerment, generating introspection in all who attended. For a greater knowledge of self elicits internal harmony and powerful transformations. Featured artists included: Jonathan "Slim" Robertson, Caleb Gorham, Kai Des Etages, Kiara Sanders, Derrick Beasley, Iseah Jelani, Jameela F. Dallis, PhD., Jasmine Michel, Shamonique Miles, Kari Hill, Jasmyn Milan "Trailor Trash", and Shai Nicole.