Rhythm and Blues

In honor of Black History Month, Studio Montclair, Inc. is delighted to present “Rhythm & Blues,” our first exhibition of the new year. Celebrating the intersection between music and art in its many permutations, the exhibit examines the visual artist’s perceptions of the rhythm and blues musical traditions. Included are paintings, drawings, mixed media, electronic, and digital art. According to curator Onnie Strother, “the music known as rhythm and blues combines many different genres and traditions, including Jazz, Gospel, Spirituals, Hip Hop, and the Blues. R&B rests on a fusion of styles that express the many facets of the Black experience. This exhibit uses the R&B tradition as a springboard for artists to create artworks that invoke the energy, spirituality, and coolness of the Black experience, keeping in mind that, as Duke Ellington says, ‘It won’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.”