Markenzy Julius Cesar, The Groveland Four

The Groveland Four, by Markenzy Julius Cesar installed on the front our building, reaches back to 1949 to bring forward an historic incident of four young men falsely accused of a violent crime in Florida. This is just one of list of horrific and similar stories throughout our history.

Instead of just residing in the weekly stories of injustice that permeate our world, Cesar looks back. In doing this he reinforces the reality that we all know too well. Violence and systematic inequalities have reinforced a society of cultural separation and brutal unjust treatment.

This exhibition is part of the Artists Up Front Project, a series of exhibition opportunities that serves as a platform for the creative producers to make bold statements and speak directly to the community in a way that is not trapped within the walls of our building or on a scale that is unavoidable. We are turning our building inside out, recognizing what we all understand about museums, we exist because of artists. 

These rotating solo installations provide artists with the space to present work that addresses vital conversations in our world. Mindful people and organizations assess our lives and address the assumptions that we live by. We grow through ongoing critique and this brings together a consideration of our world and actions. This is as true of aesthetics as it is of all human growth.

Our mission, in the briefest format, is that we are dedicated to the art and artists of Buffalo and our region, most notably Charles E. Burchfield. Being always attentive to our community – what we make and the lives we live – is how we measure our actions.