Generations

As we rushed to end one year and begin another, we were approached by Jean Boyle of 1570 Gallery to curate an exhibitition of local African American artists for Black History month.

Around that same time, we were asked to create a Sankofa recognition plaque to be given by the Blackstorytelling League of Rochester NY to founder Sankofa David Anderson. That project gave us pause to think about the meaning of Sankofa: the process of learning from the past as we build the future.

From these thoughts the multi-generational concept for this art show was born.

In assembling the show, we called on friends, acquaintances, people whose work we'd seen or heard about, and "people who knew people who knew people" for HELP!

On very short notice, amidst the hustle and bustle of the Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year's holidays these generous and wonderful artists agreed to participate. We are particularly excited to include the work or Rochester area children and teens, who have created some amazing work and may well be our community's future sought after artists.

Personally, curating Generations was a first for us. We hope that it will grow legs, and contribute to the ongoing, important, and too easily neglected, conversations between the generations in all aspects of our lives!

Cheryl and Don Olney January / February 2007

Sankofa is an Adinkra symbol from West Africa. Adinkra symbols are mainly printed by hand oncloth, but also decorate homes, and public spaces. The various Adinkra symbols are visualexpressions of the history, religious beliefs, ethics, politics, and aesthetics of the Akan people of Ghana. The Sankofa is a bird - going forward, but looking backward, with an egg - its future - in its mouth. Sankofa is transliterated in the Akan language as "se wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenki." Literally translated, it means "it is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot.”