Bozeman, Mont. — A Juneteenth celebration at Tinworks in Bozeman brought the community together for the opening of the nonprofit art space’s new summer exhibit.
The holiday marks the freeing of the last enslaved people two years after the Emancipation Proclamation ended slavery.
At Tinworks, the event centered on art, inclusion and community connection.
The nonprofit provides inclusive art programming and celebrated its new summer exhibit this week.
For artists and people who enjoy art, Tinworks is more than a place to create. The event also highlighted inclusion through shared experiences in art.
“I think the thing about art is that you get to share a space with someone. Whether they’re here today or they have passed, I think you get to see yourself in someone else’s work, and I think that makes people connect with each other much more,” said Questian Dovky.
Dovky, a Bozeman artist and curatorial assistant at Tinworks, has worked in art for as long as they can remember and practices in many mediums.
“I’ve been interested in art my whole life, I drew, I write songs, I do a lot of different artistic things. If anything, I think art has kind of just always been central to my life, and I always want to make sure it’s something that stays that way,” said Dovky.
Dovky and art curator Melissa Ragain used that creative focus to help shape the Juneteenth celebration and the new exhibit, called Chisel and Razor.
The exhibit is dedicated in part to Edmonia Lews, who is widely recognized as the first African American female artist. Inside Tinworks, the exhibit filled several rooms with paintings, solid objects, and pictures.
“This is the anniversary of a moment of emancipation. This is also the 250th, we’re getting on to the 250th anniversary of the U.S.’s declaration of independence and I think pairing those two moments of freedom is really important,” said Melissa Ragain.
“So, I think if anything, art is a connective tissue that allows us to like, practice empathy and hope, and to keep going,” said Dovky.
The opening event concluded at 8p.m. on June 19th, but the summer exhibit remains available to view at 719 North Ida Avenue between East Cottonwood and East Aspen.