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Center for Art Design and Visual Culture - UMBC
Colored photograph printed diptych by Gabriel C. Amadi-Emina. At left, a man holds a bouquet over his face. In the right panel, a cowboy looking man is shown at an angel holding a mirror. In the middle of the painting, the sentence, "Who will survive in America?" is written against a navy background.
Image: Gabriel C. Amadi-Emina, Fade Catcher, 2021, Diptych photographic print on museo silver rag adhered flat on wooden panel. Courtesy of the artist.

States of Becoming

September 22–December 9, 2023

CADVC announces States of Becoming, an exhibition that examines the dynamic forces of relocation, resettling, and assimilation that shape the artistic practices of a group of 17 contemporary African artists who have lived and worked in the United States within the last three decades, and informs the discourse on identity construction within the African Diaspora.

The concept for States of Becoming evolved from curator Fitsum Shebeshe’s lived experience following his 2016 move from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Baltimore, Maryland, and his subsequent firsthand knowledge of the weight of cultural assimilation. Confronted with a different society, Shebeshe encountered a wide range of existential questions that shaped his relationship to institutions and culture. Shebeshe also had the realization for the first time that he was viewed as belonging to a minority because of the color of his skin, and a newfound awareness of the profound impact Ethiopia’s traditional and conservative culture had on his personal sense of individuality.

Artists featured in the exhibition include Gabriel C. Amadi-Emina, Kearra Amaya Gopee, Kibrom Araya, Nadia Ayari, Vamba Bility, Elshafei Dafalla, Masimba Hwati, Chido Johnson, Miatta Kawinzi, Dora King, Helina Metaferia, Nontsikelelo Mutiti, Yvonne Osei, Kern Samuel, Amare Selfu, Tariku Shiferaw, and Yacine Tilala Fall.

A man with taupe glasses, a black coat, and a white shirt looks at sculptures on a shelf installed in a gallery space.
Photo by Tedd Henn
A gallery space filled with black and white images on the left wall and other works of art on the other. A group congregates at left while a woman at right examines a work installed on the right gallery wall. She has a short blonde ponytail and a monochromatic outfit.
Photo by Tedd Henn
A man stands in front of a wallpapered wall with light wood shelves filled with black ceramic vessels. He is wearing a dark red kurta and black pants. He is speaking with another woman with short hair and silver earrings.
Photo by Tedd Henn

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Independent Curators International

Independent Curators International (ICI) supports the work of curators to help create stronger art communities through experimentation, collaboration, and international engagement. Curators are arts community leaders and organizers who champion artistic practice, build essential infrastructures and institutions, and generate public engagement with art. ICI’s collaborative programs connect curators across generations and across social political and cultural borders. They form an international framework for sharing knowledge and resources and for promoting cultural exchange, access to art, and public awareness of the curator’s role.

Logos for ICI, Crozier, and the Hartfield Foundation.

Visitor Information

Our exhibitions and events are free and open to the public for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University’s nondiscrimination policy.

If you need specific accommodations at one of our events, whether in person or online, or to experience an exhibition, please contact CADVC at cadvc@umbc.edu or 410-455-3188 as soon as possible.