#ProjectBlackSpace | In Pursuit of Justice and Joy
A Video Installation by April Banks with student work from her virtual residency at
Sam Francis Gallery
Monday Feb 15, 7-9pm PST
Drive-by Video Installation: Monday, Feb. 15, 7-9 p.m.
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
1855 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Live stream: YouTube at 7:00pm PST
Join us for a socially distanced and masked projection of photographs of early African American communities in Santa Monica and student artwork from Banks’ virtual residency at Sam Francis Gallery. Drive, walk, or bike by!
The Site: Now closed, the Civic Auditorium was one of the major city developments that displaced the former community of Belmar (1900s-1950s) through eminent domain. By projecting on the facade, Banks aim to shine a light on this hidden history.The Project:
Belmar History + Art (BH+A) is a project of the City of Santa Monica, commissioned through its Percent for Art Program and made possible by Santa Monica Cultural Affairs and the City of Santa Monica’s Public Works Department. A commemoration and celebration of the African American neighborhoods of the Belmar neighborhood and surrounding areas, and their contributions to the city’s history and cultural heritage, BH+A includes a permanent exhibition with historical interpretive panels and a sculptural artwork, and an education program. The project was inspired in part by a mandate of the California Coastal Commission to “integrate the principles of environmental justice, equality, and social equity.” Visit the BH+A website at www.santamonica.gov/arts/belmar for more information.