Fourth year student Autumn Thompson and PLU alum Aniya Pickett unveiled their Black Excellence exhibit in the AUC on Friday, February 9. Black History Month 2024 marks the third year of this art installation by Thompson and Pickett. “this time around, it’s a tribute to past innovators, scientists, and other individuals that helped us to be able to get a voice and be able to be in the spaces we’re in,” said Thompson.
Thompson is a double major in art and business, with a focus in accounting. Pickett is a 2023 PLU graduate, who double majored in global studies and criminal justice. The two creators have combined their artistic expertise to shape three years of extraordinary exhibits. “Before Autumn asked me to be a part of the first exhibit in 2022, I hadn’t done art consistently or intentionally for a number of years,” said Pickett. “Today, I can say that I’ve been a part of a Black History Month art gallery 3 years in a row and have just finished a position as an after school art teacher.”
About two weeks prior to the unveiling, I spoke with Thompson about her creative process and about what creating this exhibit for PLU means to her. “It’s a cool experience, I feel like it’s liberating, I feel joyful. I feel like I can express myself and take up space without anyone in my head, in my mind.” Thompson also said, “I think that this represents hope, prosperity, joy and I don’t know, I just feel happy.”
Adding to this, Thompson shared some of her insight on what this exhibit means to her personally. “You get to make it your own, it’s not me just spitting out some curriculum for a test, or a quiz, or a project. It’s the one time where this is my version…this is the version of the book I want to read.”
Pickett explained their goal for the visual layout this year, asserting that “Autumn and I curated this gallery with every intention of taking up as much space as possible and making people stop in their tracks when they see it. We want people to get close, inspect from multiple angles, and become more informed before leaving.”
The unveiling drew quite a crowd of students and community members, holding around 20 people. We caught up with attendee Audrey Bonn, who shared, “It was interesting hearing them talk about their styles and what they’re based off of. I really like that Autumn’s was based off her music taste—I think that’s really cool.”
The exhibit will be up in the AUC until early March. To see more of Thompson and Pickett’s work, check out their Instagram pages @at24season and @pieceof.papaya.
