To sow the seeds and cultivate the flowers of extraordinary art, the African Diaspora Museum of Atlanta, or ADAMA, hosts its annual Flowers and Seeds Gala. The Gala honors under-recognized established artists — “flowers” — and standout emerging artists — “seeds” — of the BIPOC community of Georgia.
The museum’s founder Dr. Fahamu Pecou along with Flowers and Seeds Gala chair Esohe Galbreath recently joined Lois Reitzes on “City Lights” to discuss the upcoming event.
“We know that historically there’s been a legacy of erasure and exclusion for artists of color in mainstream institutions,” said Pecou, “Sadly, we’re now witnessing an egregious reversal of stances from institutions that made commitments [to diversity].” The “Flowers and Seeds” initiative allows people to “benefit from the impact of [these artist’s] work before it’s too late to smell their flowers.”
This year’s “Flower” honoree, sculptor Curtis Patterson, is celebrated for his large-scale public installations and intricate wall relief sculptures influenced by traditional African design.
“His work is absolutely striking,” Pecou said. “To have invested so much into making art and not receive the acknowledgment it deserves — that can be tragic. We’re trying to fill those gaps.”
