Department of Art to celebrate Black History Month with exhibit by Crystal Miller

YSU’s Department of Art will celebrate Black History Month as it welcomes interdisciplinary mixed-media artist Crystal Miller to present her “Black History Month Exhibition.” The exhibit will be on display in YSU’s Judith Rae Solomon Gallery beginning Monday, February 3, through Friday, February 28.

This exhibit will explore Afro-futurism using unconventional materials, including beads, glitter, rhinestones, and foam. Miller, who holds an associate degree in graphic design and a bachelor’s degree in painting, sculpture, and expanded media from the Cleveland Institute of Art, attempts to weave speculative fiction in her paintings to encapsulate a profound sense of black pride.

“In creating these paintings and sculptures, I am reclaiming a narrative that our society has long suppressed. By revisiting my past and predicting the future through a deeply personal lens, I construct an alternate reality—an escape from the harsh realities of today and a potential utopia where blackness can be expressed freely,” Miller said on her work.

Miller’s other recent exhibitions include “DRMWRLD” at the Maria Neil Art Project in Cleveland, and “Black Spaces: Defying Social Constructs” at the Summit Art Space in Akron.

Entry to this exhibit is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the Wick Avenue Deck (M30) for a $5 fee payable in cash only. The Judith Rae Solomon Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.