“Voice of the Artist" Exhibition at the United Nations

Tucked away inside the sprawling United Nations complex in New York this past Thursday night, was the “Voice of the Artist” exhibition spotlighting international artists who have striven to turn their works into proclamations for the redemption of humanity. The show, presented by Nation to Nation Networking and subtitled “Honoring Advocates for Peace and Harmony,” brought together works of eight artists from across the globe with media ranging from photography, to painting, to sculpture and more. Despite the grand location, the event maintained a casual and friendly atmosphere with a stringed quintet providing a warm background to temper the din of conversation and international food to complement the global artistic flavors.

Although the buzz of the various activities could have detracted from artistic works elsewhere, at “Voice of the Artist,” the worthy pieces retained their deserved focus throughout the event. Atsede-Maryam Alegbe was one of the artists exhibiting at the show, displaying a collection of photographs that skillfully negotiated the channels that separate the static from the moving and color from black and white. In her purely grayscale photographs Alegbe manages to capture the subtlety of movement in times of stillness, gravity, and occasion. Without titles or captions, these pieces offer a glimpse into private moments, such as the depiction of the weeping of a religiously devout woman or her photograph of worshippers at a service. Unlike these works, Alegbe brings in color in other pictures but only when the setting’s overall tone is dark, barring any determent from the pictures’ main focus on people and allowing the blinding backlight that creates captivating images. Her photographic gift shines through in one piece in which the artist depicts three women in colorful dress standing in front of a window with a cross-shaped cut-out, letting the sunlight flood into the room, but by defining the shot by its backlighting, Alegbe maintains a somber and hypnotizing mood.

Despite the extensive talent that permeated the show, the work of Ray Llanos seemed best to encompass the night’s theme commemorating those moving to realize worldwide peace. Llanos, a native of St. Croix now living in Harlem, traveled throughout the Caribbean documenting Carnival in its various manifestations. Unlike Alegbe, Llanos exploited the vivid colors of the festivals to create remarkable photographs. His works capture the movement and color of pulsing crowds, performing dancers, and drumming artists. His most entrancing piece, however, is of two young boys, doused in an array of colorful paints and staring, with a meaningful and motionless intensity, as a stream of people courses by them in the background. Through his decision to focus on the people who create and experience these vibrant parties, Llanos has not only captured the body in celebration but also the celebration of the body, ultimately writing large the purpose of Nation to Nation by highlighting the humanity common to all individuals.

by Jonathan Mason