Honoring The Legacy of Black Cultural Spaces in East Liberty: New Exhibition Lifting Liberty by Njaimeh Njie
Through looking at the past, Lifting Liberty imagines what the future of an arts-anchored East Liberty could be.
Artwork by Njaimeh Njie
Kelly Strayhorn Theater (KST) is excited to welcome multimedia artist Njaimeh Njie and her latest visual art exhibition Lifting Liberty, displayed at KST’s lobby from Thursday, February 27 to Saturday, May 31. In the exhibition, Njie uses collages, photos, and text to meditate on the legacy of Black cultural spaces in East Liberty. The Opening Reception is on Thursday, February 27, from 6:00 – 8:00pm.
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 East Liberty. Lifting Liberty highlights eight historical cultural spaces in the neighborhood. It pulls from archives and contemporary source material to amplify East Liberty as a hub of creativity, despite its history of cultural displacement.
Njaimeh Njie, Courtesy of the Artist
“In my work, I tell stories about everyday life, particularly everyday black experiences through the lense of how the past shapes the present. That involves a lot of archival research, learning about the past through the people who have lived it”, said Njie.
Over the past 60 years, East Liberty, one of Pittsburgh’s most historically diverse and culturally vibrant neighborhoods, has undergone significant changes driven by the lasting effects of redlining, urban renewal, and the Great Recession. In the past 15 years, neighborhood redevelopment has fueled rising market forces, shifting culture and resident demographics, resulting in a 24% loss of Black residents between 2009 and 2018. Amid these developments, a commitment to safeguard Black centered spaces dedicated to arts and culture remains vital, honoring the neighborhood’s rich heritage and ensuring residents are celebrated.
Informed by the changes she has witnessed, the Pittsburgh-born and raised Njie uses her art as a celebration of the history of black cultural spaces in East Liberty: “I always want to center black communities’ sense of power and agency. I want to lift up this history of building community through making art. I want us to really think about and dream about how to continue that.”
“We are in a pivotal moment of transformation across institutions, structures, and communities—an opportunity to reimagine our relationships with one another and our built environments, with culture leading the way. There is much to learn from the cultural spaces that have shaped and activated East Liberty over many storied years, placing creativity and community at their core,” said Joseph Hall, KST’s Co-Executive Director.
The exhibition Lifting Liberty serves as a forerunner, building the excitement and setting the stage for KST’s upcoming Owning Our Future: A Symposium on BIPOC Institutional Ownership on Friday, May 16 – Sunday, May 18. KST is leading a groundbreaking national symposium that aims to reshape the future of accessible, equitable cultural spaces owned and anchored by BIPOC communities. During Lifting Liberty’s Opening Reception on February 27, there will be a special reveal, when the symposium’s detailed schedule and tickets become available.
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. Audience can arrive early and take a look.
KST GALLERY | VISUAL ART
Njaimeh Njie
Lifting Liberty
Thursday, February 27 – Saturday, May 31
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 27, 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Gallery Hours with Performance
Kelly Strayhorn Theater | 5941 Penn Ave.
Pay What Moves You: $0 – $20
ABOUT THE ARTIST
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.