Njaimeh Njie: Lifting Liberty
KST Presents
Thursday, February 27 – Saturday, May 31, 2025
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 27, 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Gallery Hours with KST Presents Performances
Kelly Strayhorn Theater | 5941 Penn Ave.
Pay What Moves You: $0 – $20
Lifting Liberty is a collage, photo, and text meditation on the legacy of Black cultural spaces in East Liberty. From Howe School of Dance to the Selma Burke Art Center to the Shadow Lounge, a constellation of creative places and people have shined bright for more than a century in our neighborhood. The installation pulls from archives and contemporary source material to amplify East Liberty as a hub of creativity despite its history of cultural displacement. Looking at the past and with an eye on the future, Lifting Liberty imagines an East Liberty where arts are anchored for the next 100 years.
The opening reception of Lifting Liberty will include light refreshments and a DJ Set from DJ SMI of The Shadow Lounge in East Liberty.
Lifting Liberty is on view at KST’s lobby gallery. The gallery is open to the public during and one hour before every KST Presents event. Arrive early and take a look!
Artwork by Njaimeh Njie
- ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Njaimeh Njie is a multimedia artist working across photography, film, collage, installation, and public art. Her storytelling practice centers everyday people, narratives, and landscapes, with a focus on how the past shapes the present. Njie has exhibited at Carnegie Museum of Art and the Mattress Factory, and she has presented at spaces including TEDxPittsburghWomen and Harvard University. Njie earned her B.A. in Film and Media Studies in 2010 from Washington University in St. Louis
DJ SMI (Tim Guthrie) is a celebrated figure in Pittsburgh’s vibrant music scene. Over the years, SMI has worn many hats: promoter, performer, and even a Brazilian restaurateur. His deep love for music and community shines through in every endeavor. Known for his mastery of blending multiple genres across eras and cultures, SMI sees the DJ’s role as a custodian of both vibe and knowledge-responsible for balancing audience engagement with moments of discovery and education.