FURIOUS JOY: OUR PLEASURE DESPITE ALL

Curation | Exhibition Design

From January 22-24, 2025, I had the honor of curating my 2nd Afrofuturism art exhibition, Furious Joy: Our Pleasure Despite All. Inspired by Alice Walker’s declaration in Hard Times Require Furious Dancing, this year’s show celebrated joy, play, and rest as radical acts—a defiant, resilient, and transformative force in the face of adversity.

Furious Joy embodied a fierce, determined energy that reclaims freedom, dignity, and boundless imagination. The exhibition showcased art infused with vibrant colors, dynamic storytelling, and bold designs—highlighting the rich interplay of struggle and triumph, laughter and resistance, past and future.

Made possible by UF CAME, hosted at the Gainesville Fine Arts Association, and in collaboration with B3 Magazine, the show culminated in a closing reception on January 24—a powerful night where art, vendors, and performers united to celebrate Black creativity in its fullest expression.

Endless gratitude to the brilliant artists, performers, and vendors who shared their gifts and everyone who showed up with love and support. This exhibition was more than a showcase—it was a declaration: In even the hardest times, We Dance. We Create. We Rise.

Click on a creator to view their work!

Artists

Benedicta Opoku-Mensah

Jahmie Blanche Williams

Kevin Dowdell

Cherry Hybrid

Bella Rootz

Simeon Glover

Mileyda Tillman

3vemita

Keana Poindexter-Jones

Brelynn Jones