The Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum will host Bout It Bout It 3: The Political Power of Just Being, by local and talented artist, Vitus Shell. The exhibit will be on display from November 13, 2023, to January 21, 2024.
Vitus Shell, a mixed-media collage painter born in Monroe, LA, is known for his work that highlights the black experience and gives agency to the people from this community through powerful image identity, civil rights, and contemporary black culture. His work has been showcased across the United States and is highly celebrated.
According to Ross Slacks, the Museum's executive director, working with Vitus Shell is an amazing opportunity for the museum. He further added that they are excited and honored to display his work and start meaningful conversations in the upcoming months. Shell's aspirational and thoughtful body language, rendered with verisimilitude, stands in stark contrast to the flat, colorless, and stereotype-ridden caricatures of black bodies found in the largely historical sources he uses for his backgrounds.
Similar to a music producer, Vitus Shell creates art through a process that involves sampling, mixing, and remixing source material. However, in Shell's case, he blends identity, civil rights, and contemporary black culture with art historical references. His work is a testament to the resilience and creativity of the black community.
The Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum will host an artist reception on Sunday, December 3, 2024, from 4 pm to 7 pm. The reception is open to the public and is an excellent opportunity to engage with the artist and learn more about his work.
For more information about the exhibit or the artist reception contact Ross Slacks by emailing rossslacks@aol.com.