Exhibitions

The group photography exhibition AMERICA REIMAGINED is a curation and archival project documenting dramatic changes in daily life across America in 2020 and beyond. The project’s mission is to document a country in transition and create a documentary collection in the American story. On view in the Kennedy Gallery from September 4 through October 30, 2021, this show is the first time a selection from the entire online collection will be printed and exhibited to the public, under the curation of Cincinnati photojournalist and Boyd’s Station’s Advisor, Michael E. Keating. It will feature 76 photographs and 4 photographic essays from photojournalists all across the United States, including Ohio.

AMERICA REIMAGINED is Boyd’s Station’s innovative and collective effort, along with partner American Reportage, to engage, motivate, mentor and give voice to emerging photojournalists by showcasing and preserving the images and narratives that offer an intimate look at the ways Americans are grappling with, and adjusting to, this disruptive moment in history.

Boyd’s Station is a nonprofit arts and journalism residency program based on the grounds of the nearly 100-year-old Clifford Craig Farm homestead in Harrison County, Kentucky, and American Reportage is a collective of visual journalists specializing in comprehensive storytelling of the American experience. AMERICA REIMAGINED showcases the work from not only emerging photojournalists from across the US, but also their mentors and friends of the America Reimagined Project and Boyd’s Station advisors who contributed photographs and editing expertise to the collective effort.

This exhibition documents how life reacts and evolves with each new challenge – from the COVID-19 pandemic which pushed the country into its homes and social distancing to the fight for social justice which reunited millions in protest and solidarity in streets across the country. 

Reflecting on his participation with Boyd’s Station and work on assembling AMERICAN REIMAGINED, Michael E. Keating remarked, “It is exciting to give voice to student photojournalists nationwide who responded to our call to action in creating this document. Boyd’s Station offers a unique experience for emerging photojournalists to interface with an outstanding collection of professionals on a level playing field. In its short tenure as an educational enrichment opportunity, Boyd’s Station is proud to watch and nurture students as they carry the banner of visual storytelling into the future.”

AMERICA REIMAGINED will be on view from September 4 through October 30, 2021 inside the Kennedy Gallery and also outside on the grounds, located at 6546 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH 45213.

Opening reception will be on Saturday, September 4th from 6-8pm. Additional programming is being scheduled.  

Exhibition is sponsored by The Clyde N Day Trust in collaboration with Boyd’s Station.

Image Credit:

Neighbors gather and listen to Cellist Jodi Beder while she holds her daily 30-minute concert for people in her neighborhood and anyone else who happens to stop by. Several states are currently in different stages of a lockdown while the United States and the world continues the struggle with COVID-19. Mt. Rainier, Md., Friday, March 27, 2020. Photograph by Rod Lamkey Jr. (Alexandria, VA) /American Reportage

To view the artist statement and artist bio for each image, please follow THIS LINK.

Please drive through the exhibit following this route:

Nine members of the artist collective Black Art Speaks will exhibit new artworks in Kennedy Heights Arts Center’s outdoor gallery this Summer in a show titled Undermining Silence: The Language of Change. Black Art Speaks is a collective of Black artists who elevate their voices and impact their community through artistic practices. This group emerged from the Cincinnati Black Lives Matter mural where lead artists and organizers found value in continuing their mission and combining forces. Their new original art pieces will be reproduced as large panels and installed around the KHAC grounds, which can be viewed as a drive-thru experience or guests can park and explore on foot. This exhibit includes reflective art inspired by protests against injustices which includes the purpose, process, and participation in creating a Black Lives Matter mural in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Exhibition sponsored by The George and Margaret McLane Foundation. 

Outdoor Gallery participants include: Brent Billingsley, Michael Coppage, Cedric Michael Cox, Latausha Cox, Ke’Monte’ Figgs, Brandon Hawkins, Adoria Maxberry, Annie Ruth, Asha White

Exhibition will be open from June 12 – August 28, 2021 (every day from dawn to dusk)

An Opening Reception, which will also include music by the Camille Saba Smith Trio sponsored by It’s Commonly Jazz, will take place outside on Saturday, June 26 from 4-6pm.

An Artist Talk will also be held outside on Saturday, August 21 from 4-6pm.

Image Credit: Justice/Just Us, Brent Billingsley, Reduction Woodblock Cut; ink on paper (photo credit:  Robin Imaging)

Sign up for a FREE PHOTO SESSION with Skye High in “Our Spot” through this LINK. Sessions are 20 minutes long, from 11am-3pm on both Saturday August 7 and August 21. Space is limited.

Participants can register for one or both of these exciting, FREE workshops with artist Adoria Maxberry, and create unique art pieces that will be added to the exhibition in our gallery, along with things to take home!

Friday, August 6 from 6:30-7:30pm – Papermaking: Inspire, Create, Grow

Saturday, August 21 from 10-11am – Art to DYE for! Tie-dying workshop

Four emerging, Black artists present diverse installations exploring different ways to experience art in Unconventional, opening July 31, 2021 at Kennedy Heights Arts Center (KHAC). The public is invited to an opening reception on Saturday, July 31 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Featured artists include: Phillip Dowdy, Ke’Monte’ Figgs, Skye High, and Adoria Maxberry.

This project grew out of Kennedy Heights Arts Center’s ongoing conversations with local Black creatives over the past year, and provides a platform for voices not often heard in traditional galleries.

In 2020, the Arts Center joined the OF/BY/FOR ALL Change Network, a cohort of arts and cultural organizations across the globe working to become more representative OF, co-created BY and relevant FOR their diverse communities. As part of an intentional process to put equity into action, KHAC board and staff have been in conversation with Black artists, performers and cultural leaders in Cincinnati whom we invited to collaboratively explore how we might partner on actions and projects which directly support their goals and aspirations for themselves, their artistic practice, and their community(ies).

Artists shared barriers they have experienced with accessing resources and opportunities at museums, galleries and art institutions in Cincinnati. They stressed the importance of building authentic, versus transactional, relationships. In response, Kennedy Heights Arts Center committed to supporting their work by sharing power, resources (financial, material, time, and space), and pursuing cultural shifts within our organization.
The artists’ installations in Unconventional reflect various themes and materials including painting, photography, video, fiber, and mixed media.

Skye High’s mixed media installation “Our Spot” is inspired by Dreamworld, a concept born in Skye’s apartment, from a place of necessity. After being assaulted by someone close to them, they found it difficult to feel safe in their space. Dreamworld was a way of reclaiming that space and cultivating safety, comfort, and community for the ones they loved and in turn, themself.

“As a queer, Black person and undiagnosed autistic as a child, I didn’t have spaces where I felt comfortable and safe, so I made them,” Skye remarked. “’Our Spot’ is about a return to myself and being able to find and cultivate safe space in art.”

Viewers will be invited to step into the installations and be photographed, if they wish, so they become part of the art. 

“I hope to make spaces that are tactile and inviting, and showcase the magic in the otherwise mundane. The installation hopes to blur the lines between art and observer, inviting patrons to step into a moment that feels strange, and oddly familiar, like a dream.”

It has long been Ke’Monte’ Figgs’ dream to create a children’s book. Art has always been a part of his life, and he is passionate about bringing an impact to the youth in his community. Whether it’s painting, writing poetry, singing, dancing, videography, or music production he believes there are so many different pathways Black youth can follow rather than the streets. Through his first children’s book, titled Arts, Dreams, and Success, Figgs hopes to positively encourage and inspire children to discover their true potential by tapping into their hidden talents and creativity – whatever that may be.

The exhibit will feature original acrylic painting illustrations, as well as a look at his process creating the book. Visitors will have the opportunity to purchase an advance copy.

As a member of Black Art Speaks, Figgs painted the letter “S” (in Lives) in the Black Lives Matter mural in downtown Cincinnati in 2020 (and recently refreshed in 2021), but this will be his first exhibition in a gallery setting.

“This opportunity is a break-through for me, a step towards my dream coming true,” said Figgs. “I feel like I am stepping into my purpose in life and making an impact in the community.”

Unconventional will be on view in the Kennedy Gallery from July 31 to August 28, 2021. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday, 10am to 5pm and Saturday, 11am to 4pm. For more information, call 513-631-4278 or visit kennedyarts.org.

Opening Day: Saturday, June 5, 11am – 8pm

Featuring artwork created by KHAC students and faculty from the past year, the 13th Annual Student & Faculty Exhibition showcases the variety of class offerings at the Art Center and celebrates the talents of its wonderful community. Following the events of 2020, we feel there is even more to celebrate this year. This display includes work from art makers ages seven to senior creating in a wide array of themes and mediums. Click here to reserve your free timed entry ticket.

Image credit: Artwork by Portrait Drawing student Marilyn Wilson

Throughout history, women have joined forces to combat gender-based discrimination, redefine their roles in society, lift each other up in safe spaces, and amplify their voices.

Collective Impact: Females Joining Forces, curated by Mallory Feltz, features past work and newly created pieces by seven Cincinnati-based female artist collectives: Art for Artists, Art Hags, BombShells of Cincinnati, LOOK, Maidens of the Cosmic Body Running, PhotograpHERS, and Pull Club. 

Inspired by pivotal female artist collectives from the 1970s onward (Where We At (WWA) Black Women Artists, Inc., Guerrilla Girls, Sister Serpents, etc) that were fueled by the Second-Wave Feminist Movement in the 1960s (and subsequent movements), this exhibition aims to continue the discussion of female empowerment in art and the importance of the collective voice. The artists in this exhibition all find the draw to collaborate, and use their diverse perspectives to highlight various themes, inspire important discussions in our region, and comment on the contemporary female experience.

Signage on pivotal international female artist collectives past and present will link Cincinnati to the larger national art historical movement of females joining forces to make their voices heard.

Free timed entry tickets are available HERE or by calling 513-631-4278. Tickets ensure that you can visit at your desired day and time. If you visit without a ticket, you may be asked to wait or come back at a different time due to capacity limits. Masks are required. Please practice social distancing.

Hear the artists speak about their collaborative work in this video:

Exhibition Sponsored by: LasikPlus

Artist Collective Members List

Art for Artists: Lead organizers Arnelle Dow and Jan Thomas, membership varies. Complete list of participating members coming soon.

ART HAGS: Linnea Gartin, Liz Miller, Amy Scarlpello, Kate Tepe

BombShells of Cincinnati: Judy Dominic, Emily Holtrop, Shannon Faith, Karen Saunders, Barb Sferra, Katie Swartz, Amy Watson

LOOK: Sidney Cherie Hilley, Anh Tran

Maidens of the Cosmic Body Running: Denise Burge, Lisa Siders, Jenny Ustick

PhotograpHERS: Helen Adams, Erika Nj Allen, Tina Gutierrez, Claudia Hershner, Colleen Houston, Maggie Lawson, Kimberly Starbuck, Pat Timm

Pull Club: Chelsey Hughes, Amy Scarpello, Linda Winder

This exhibition was originally developed in partnership with ArtsWave’s POWER OF HER Initiative.

This Retrospective exhibit consists of a selection of artworks on the themes of peace and justice by 90 Greater Cincinnati artists who had participated in previous annual SOS ART shows between 2016 and 2020. Co-Curators Vaishnavi Ramanathan and Saad Ghosn selected the works based on their merit of quality and messages for a better world.

The show includes works shown indoors and works enlarged and printed on large panels displayed outdoors; also a video of the artworks and mini interviews with the participating artists.

Watch the artist interviews on the video below (length is 1 hour):

A color book documenting the show and including a section for children’s related art activities is available free to visitors. Children’s activities are also being planned during the duration of the show. Click HERE to find out more and how to participate!

You can view the color book which includes all the pieces in the show, and the children’s activities via this LINK. FREE hard copies of the book are available on our front porch. 

Learn more about the youth activities from this video:

Exhibition on view from Jan 9 – March 13, 2021

Free timed entry tickets are available here or by calling 513-631-4278. Masks are required. Please practice social distancing.

This group exhibition features fiber works from members of the Kuumba Quilters, and is curated by member artist Carole Gary Staples. This group was founded in February 2020 by Ohio artists Monica Scott and Renée Keels to help not only preserve and promote the art of quilting and culture in the African American community, but to also serve as a support system for African American artists. By the time a location for the first meeting was secured, COVID-19 hit Ohio and it was decided to hold the meetings virtually. This allowed for the inclusion of not only quilters and fiber artists from Central Ohio, but from other parts of the country.

Meeting virtually throughout the pandemic, the Kuumba Quilters shared past and current works, works in progress, shared techniques and conducted robust discussions about exhibiting and the role of African American artists in the fiber art/quilt community. This group, named for “Kuumba” the sixth principle of Kwanzaa that celebrates creativity as a way to build and preserve a strong and vibrant community, now includes more than 15 members from all across America and still continues to evolve and grow. Its members are a true hybrid of new and experienced artists, men and women, and those that have exhibited all over the country and other who have yet to exhibit. This is the first exhibition for this group, and includes fiber artworks that incorporate text and art quilts with unconventional themes and images.

Exhibiting Artists: Cynthia Catlin, Carole Gary Staples, Janet Green, Judy Harris Middleton, Wendy Kendrick, Stefanie Rivers, Monica Scott, Rosalind Thomas, and Renee Wormack-Keels

The public is invited to attend the free Opening Reception on Saturday, August 21st from 6-8pm to meet some of the artists and enjoy some light refreshments.

The Lindner Gallery hours are Tuesdays 12:30 – 5:30pm, Thursdays 1:00 – 7:00pm, and by appointment. Kennedy Heights Arts Center is free and open to the public.

Image Credit: fiber art by Wendy Kendrick, detail

This exhibition is now over in our gallery. However, it continues to be exhibited online at www.renaissanceincincy.org

Curated by Lex Nycole and Gee Horton, this exhibition pays homage to the Harlem Renaissance era, showcasing the artistic contributions of a collective of African American artists of the 1920’s, and how their artistic endeavors have undoubtedly shifted the American cultural, economic and political landscape. 

As part of A Celebration of the Harlem Renaissance, presented by Juneteenth Cincinnati in partnership with Kennedy Heights Arts Center, this exhibit is designed to memorialize, draw connections and spark conversations as twelve contemporary Cincinnati-based artists revisit the past in attempts to celebrate the history of the Harlem Renaissance by creating new works, in their own mediums, in a way that authentically pays tribute to the artists of that era.

Whether it’s the expressionism of Beauford Delaney or Bessie Smith’s blues that carried a nation, this exhibition will be nothing short of real, true, and timeless. A time where holding your tongue was scoffed upon and dwelling in your authenticity became the only elixir for success. An era that has paved an impenetrable path to greatness for anyone who so chooses to follow. This show provides you with a bit of everything you thought you knew, and all the wonders of things you didn’t know you needed.. . a legacy. 

Exhibiting artists include: Paris Abstract, Asmara Abraham, Cedric Michael Cox, FEALART, TC Flowers, Cherie Garces, Lance Johnson, Hannah “Jonesy” Jones, Michael Coppage (Prosper Jones), Natasha Quitano, Skye High, and Ike Slimster.

Artworks, artist statements & bios, and historical panels (along with all the virtual programming and educational curriculum) will all be accessible online SOON on the project website: www.renaissanceincincy.org

Curators Lex Nycole (right) and Gee Horton (left)

Lex Nycole bio: As a curator my mission has always been to make culture more accessible to my city. I’ve always known that art and entertainment were some of the most influential and impactful platforms to be a part of. So early in my youth, I decided to devote my professional career and life to creating and helping mold outlets that promote not only the city’s artistry, but the well being of its community. A combined interest in experimental marketing, brand awareness, project management, and production have led me to where I am now. Furthermore, I am a firm believer that creativity is the vehicle that will drive the progression of change.  I want the work I do to undoubtedly lead a renaissance of change that will contribute to the break down of barriers and set new standards on how people embrace life & cultural differences.

Gee Horton bio: Gee Horton is a Cincinnati-based self-trained Hyperrealist visual artist who has recently transitioned from a career in the corporate world to focus primarily on making art and building communities. Using graphite and charcoal pencils, Gee’s drawings capture a heightened sense of realism, but it is important to note that the Hyperrealist style is only one facet of comprehending his work. Having earned a master’s in social work from the University of Louisville, he often incorporates his education and life experiences into his art to achieve a kind of power that for many triggers’ emotional associations. With this in mind, his current work makes a connection between his African roots and their juxtaposition to American attitudes on the social and emotional development of the African American male experience.

Gee’s artistic practice began roughly three years ago and work has already been featured in local art exhibits such as The Black & Brown Faces exhibit at The Cincinnati Art Museum, The “Uprising” exhibit at Kennedy Heights Arts Center, The WE Gallery exhibit at the

historic Cincinnati Music Hall, The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center’s “#NewTruth” Art Show, ArtWorks’ “Secret ArtWorks 2018” at The Banks, and the Mohawk Gallery’s “Manifestations of Time: The Black Experience” exhibit.

Gee is currently working on a series of work entitled, “Coming of Age”. In collaboration with photographer Jason Carter, the series is autobiographical and offers a complex multilayered conversation about black-male adolescence and their search for identity, acceptance, purpose, and love. Gee is currently selling hand selected pieces from this selection as well as other works on his website. Expect to see this prolific collection “Coming of Age” to debut in 2021, which will be his first gallery showing to the Cincinnati community.

Gee is currently serving as the Mercantile Library’s first African American Artist-in-Residence. He has been commissioned to draw a 6ft portrait of Peter H. Clark, the Mercantile Library’s first African American member. Gee played a major role in the Black Art Speaks collective to paint the Black Lives Matter! mural in front of Cincinnati’s City Hall. His contribution in the Black Lives Matter mural is the “L” in “Lives”, using text from the renowned African American poet Langston Hughes’ 1926 poem, “I, Too”. Gee currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Artworks, Wave Pool, and is a Co-Host of the Urban Consulate Cincinnati Chapter.