VISUAL ARTS

“Got the Power: Birmingham” Opens February 8

The Alabama School of Fine Arts is pleased to present “Got the Power: Birmingham”, a site-specific installation by Bayete Ross Smith with selections from the artist’s “Our Kind of People”, “Taking Aim” and ”Mirror” photographic series. “Got the Power” is an ongoing project in which the artist travels to different regions of the country and invites community members to collaborate in making mix tapes which archive their favorite songs and stories. Through a tower of boom boxes that the artist builds at each site, participants are able to add their favorite song titles to a public playlist and record memories about their community. These contributions are then mixed together with ambient sound specific to the area, creating a mix tape that is played through the boom box tower. Referencing the role boom boxes have played in urban communities and within popular culture, the resulting sculpture and soundscape is a symbol of pride, power and autonomy. In addition the exhibition will feature selection from three of the artist’s photographic series in which the artist investigates issues of identity as it pertains to race, gender, and power. The exhibition opens to the public in the Vulcan Materials Gallery, Friday, February 8 from 5-7 pm. The show will run through March 8, 2013 with gallery hours M-F 830am-430pm. For additional information please contact Cumbee Tyndal at 205-252-9241 or ctyndal@asfa.k12.al.us