Join us for an opening reception for Tyler Art Gallery's new exhibition Justice and Inalienable Rights. This exhibition features artwork from emerging and established artists of color whose artworks explore the concepts of justice and human rights within marginalized communities. The opening reception will feature a poetry reading from Scottsboro Limited, by Langston Hughes and other Hughes works which will begin at 5pm followed by the gallery reception.

The exhibition centers around a rare book, Scottsboro Limited, written by Langston Hughes and illustrated by Prentiss Taylor, which is part of the Tyler Art Gallery collection. It features 4 poems and a play depicting the story of the Scottsboro Boys, nine black teenagers who were wrongfully accused of rape in Alabama in 1931. From there artworks were selected from the Armand-Paul Family Collection, established by brothers Newton and Marcus Paul, and includes paintings, videos, prints, photography, and sculpture from the Latin and African diasporas. While the exhibition explores difficult topics such as police brutality and colonialism, it also features artworks that celebrate culture and utilizes our right to self-expression as a political act.

Featured artists: Mequitta Ahuja, Esai Alfredo, Patrick Alston, Alvin Armstrong, Sanford Biggers, Terry Boddie, Kevin Claiborne, Ryan Cosbert, Jamal Cyrus, John Edmonds, Teresita Fernandez, Sam Gilliam, Ronald Jackson, Parris Jaru, Ashante Kindle, Simone Leigh, Natia Lemay, Glenn Ligon, Corey Lovett, Eric N. Mack. Kerry James Marshal, Carlos Martiel, Gustavo Nazereno, Arcmanoro Niles, Ludovic Nkoth, Armando Posse, Deborah Roberts, Jean- Marcel St. Jacques, Chiffon Thomas, Lina Iris Viktor, William Villalongo, Nari Ward, Ouattara Watts, Carrie Mae Weems, and Didier William.