Memphis Hosts New Exhibition on Water and Black Healing

News Summary

The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art will showcase ‘Calida Rawles: Away with the Tides’ from March 19 to September 7, 2025. This exhibition explores the themes of water, healing, and resilience within the Black community. It will feature stunning art pieces focused on the cultural narratives surrounding Black experiences with water, promoting discussions on swimming education and community engagement.

Memphis to Host Exciting New Exhibition on Water and Black Healing

Get ready, Memphis! The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is rolling out a vibrant new exhibition titled “Calida Rawles: Away with the Tides”, which opens on March 19th, 2025, and runs until September 7th, 2025. This isn’t just an art show—it’s a profound exploration of water as a space for healing, resilience, and yes, even joy, particularly within the Black community.

Art that Speaks to the Soul

The star of the exhibition is none other than Calida Rawles, a talented artist based in California, who brings her unique vision and passion for depicting the Black experience in relation to water. This collection features 10 stunning paintings and a captivating three-channel video. Each piece dives deep into dualities of water, showcasing it as a space where healing and strength can flourish.

A Tribute to Overtown

What makes this exhibition so special? Rawles has dedicated her work to the vibrant community of Overtown, a historic Black neighborhood in Miami. Once buzzing with life and entertainment from its foundation in 1896, Overtown saw its fortunes change dramatically in the late 1950s with the arrival of freeway construction that disrupted many lives and communities.

Rawles didn’t just pick up a paintbrush; she immersed herself in the community. She spent time researching the history of Overtown and collecting stories from local residents, capturing their experiences and feelings about their beloved neighborhood and its relationship with water.

Memphis’ Own Swimming Legacy

The exhibition has a twist that makes it even more engaging for local audiences. An interactive gallery will highlight Memphis’ own history with swimming, particularly for its Black community. This interactive experience will create vital conversations around how communities relate to both water and swimming, forging connections between Sedona’s waters and those in Overtown.

Confronting Stereotypes

One of the most powerful themes in Rawles’ art is the challenge against stereotypes about Black individuals and swimming. Statistics reveal a troubling reality: drowning rates among Black individuals under the age of 30 are significantly higher than their white counterparts, and approximately 70% of Black Americans are unable to swim, compared to 31% of white Americans. Through her hyperrealistic portrayals of Black bodies in water, Rawles invites viewers to reconsider their assumptions and engage with the narratives surrounding these statistics.

A Therapeutic Experience

Rawles’ artwork aims to be more than visually stunning; it is also intended to be therapeutic. Each piece encourages viewers to reflect on their relationships with water and the complexities of the Black experience. They serve as a canvas not only for beauty but also for healing and dialogue.

Inspiring Change and Community Engagement

To broaden the impact of the exhibit, Rawles will introduce programming aimed at promoting swimming education and community involvement. This will include events featuring local artists, filmmakers, and discussions centered around swimming and community stories—ensuring that the exhibition resonates long after the last visitors have left the museum.

Connecting Communities

Assistant curator of photography, Rose Smith, aims to draw parallels between Overtown and Memphis’ own Orange Mound community. By showcasing these connections, the exhibition hopes to enrich understanding and appreciation for the cultural narratives both communities share, all while providing a platform for dialogue around resilience and triumph.

So mark your calendars! The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is set to be home to an exhibition that promises to be a thrilling mix of art, history, and community spirit. Come for the art, stay for the stories, and leave inspired by the power of water and the strength of Black communities.

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Additional Resources

• Memphis Flyer: Away with the Tides
• Wikipedia: Art
• Memphis Flyer: Spring Arts Guide 2025
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Black Culture
• Memphis Magazine: From Overtown to Orange Mound