October 2021
INVITATIONAL EXHIBITION
Charvis Harrell
Artist Statement
Over a hundred years ago three young men left the south and joined the circus to work and travel America. They were 19, 22, and 20, the ages of two of my sons. They had a full life ahead of them, but their lives were tragically cut short on the night of June 15, 1920 when an angry mob of residents tried them on the false accusations of rape and they were lynched in Duluth, Minnesota.
Misinformation has always been at the root of most problems when it comes to race in America, when a society that has a small Black population, has very little interactions with different cultures, ignorance can breed animosity. To bring awareness for understanding and to pay tribute to the lives of Clayton, Jackson and Mcghie, I will work at an art residency in rural Minnesota where I will be the only Black resident and I will make art that pays tribute to the three young men murdered over one hundred years ago and how it relates to the tragic incidents unfolding in Minnesota today. I will document the process starting with a solo show in Atlanta Ga. for Juneteenth and a solo show at Drury Univ. I will travel the country making art ending with a month long residency in New York Mills Minnesota where I will engage the community through different art projects that ends with my art show. "After the Laughter: When the Circus Leaves Town."
INVITATIONAL EXHIBITION
Charvis Harrell
Artist Statement
Over a hundred years ago three young men left the south and joined the circus to work and travel America. They were 19, 22, and 20, the ages of two of my sons. They had a full life ahead of them, but their lives were tragically cut short on the night of June 15, 1920 when an angry mob of residents tried them on the false accusations of rape and they were lynched in Duluth, Minnesota.
Misinformation has always been at the root of most problems when it comes to race in America, when a society that has a small Black population, has very little interactions with different cultures, ignorance can breed animosity. To bring awareness for understanding and to pay tribute to the lives of Clayton, Jackson and Mcghie, I will work at an art residency in rural Minnesota where I will be the only Black resident and I will make art that pays tribute to the three young men murdered over one hundred years ago and how it relates to the tragic incidents unfolding in Minnesota today. I will document the process starting with a solo show in Atlanta Ga. for Juneteenth and a solo show at Drury Univ. I will travel the country making art ending with a month long residency in New York Mills Minnesota where I will engage the community through different art projects that ends with my art show. "After the Laughter: When the Circus Leaves Town."
Charvis Z. Harrell - A rising artist using his time and ability to display the beauty in the often-overlooked aspects of life.
To understand the artwork of Charvis Harrell, one must understand the driving force behind his art and life. A third-generation mason, he had only enough time for art as a hobby until June of 2004. That summer, at twenty-eight, Harrell was diagnosis with sarcoidosis, a disease that produces polyps within various organs in the body. This diagnosis put him on very light duty in his occupation, but, more importantly, it gave him a newfound appreciation for living. His desire to make the most of his time by paying tribute to the people and things that impact his life impacts his work. Through art, Harrell shines light upon the unsightly realities that we live. Refusing to revolt, he continues his journey to examine the darkness.
For inquiries contact the artists directly: