Rooted In Joy

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2024

By Kibibi AjankuBaltimore, MD — A spirited celebration of creativity, heritage, and community is unfolding at Coppin State University as the institution presents ROOTED IN JOY, a dynamic invitational exhibition curated and directed by Professor Kibibi Ajanku. The exhibition brings together an eclectic group of artists whose work captures the radiance, resilience, and expressive power of African American joy.

Opening November 10 and running through November 23, 2025, the exhibition is being held in the Cary Beth Cryor Art Gallery, an innovative creative laboratory nestled within the James Weldon Johnson Auditorium. The gallery—named in honor of the late Cary Beth Cryor, a cherished Coppin State University alumna and arts advocate—was dedicated to support interdisciplinary learning and to expand opportunities for students and community members to engage with the arts. Since its dedication, the gallery has been recognized as a vital cultural space on campus, designed to foster experimentation, scholarship, and collaboration across artistic practices.

ROOTED IN JOY is presented in conjunction with the Coppin Repertory Theater’s production of SHE A GEM by Josh Wilder, creating a rare and meaningful moment in which the university’s Visual and Performing Arts programs unite around a common theme of imagination, play, and possibility. Together, the exhibition and the theatrical production highlight how joy—especially Black joy—can be a healing and transformative force.

“This exhibition is about celebrating who we are and the many ways our creativity shows up in the world,” said curator Kibibi Ajanku. “Each artist brings their own vibrations, their own stories, their own brilliance. When these works come together, they affirm that joy is not only a feeling but a legacy.”

Artists from Maryland, Washington, D.C., and South Carolina are represented in the show, offering a broad and vibrant range of perspectives. Their works span mixed media, textile, painting, sculpture, photography, and performance, all unified by themes of connection, resilience, heritage, and delight.

The exhibition includes acclaimed and emerging artists such as Larry Poncho Brown, Karen Y. Buster, Linda Meadows, Jumoke Ajanku, The Sankofa Project, James Murphy Jr., Patricia Kabore, Camila Bryce-Laporte, Francine Haskins, Schroeder Cherry, Julee Dickerson-Thompson, Imani Russell, Sehar Peerzada, Kibibi Ajanku, Tori Carlisle, and Josh Lawrence.

Adding to the vibrancy of the exhibition, The Sankofa Project will present a special drumming performance during the public opening on November 16—a rhythmic reminder of the African diasporic traditions that continue to fuel contemporary Black artistic expression.

The curatorial work behind Rooted in Joy is a collective effort by Professor Ajanku and the CSU Art Collective, which includes Cortez Battle, Gaberiel Bourne, Tori Carlisle, Jordan Coe, Denise Johnson, Josh Lawrence, Ryann Pratcher, Arnyah Sanders, and Cahleil Terry. Their collaborative vision underscores the exhibition’s commitment to both mentorship and community-centered creativity.