For much of 2020, while countries worldwide fought against the COVID-19 pandemic, creativity became an outlet to help people cope with harsh and uncertain circumstances.
As a stand against police brutality, art curator and culture advocate Nakia Booker showcases Black narratives through artistic expression. The Southern University and A&M College graduate is the mastermind behind The Black Artivism Capsule—a curated art collection made by 26 gifted Black creatives worldwide during the 2020 pandemic.
Featured artists include Raphael Adjetey Adjei Mayne, Ashley Nesmith, Khalid Thompson, and the late Crystal Kirk. Exploring art by photographers, painters, digital creatives, and more, the unique capsule explores “the lives and times of Black people, as defined by Black people.”
“The place where I was at this time when all this was going on—I was feeling upset, angry, frustrated, like everybody else. This project I started during the pandemic gave me hope and joy because it is timeless. It captures the past, present, and future, so when you look at it, you’ll be reminded of where we used to be and where we are now,” Booker told AfroTech.
During the wake of the pandemic, Booker witnessed the havoc that was brought on by the deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, John Lewis, Chadwick Boseman, and Kobe and Gigi Bryant. She wanted to create a sanctuary for art to transcend time and space through the lens of Black creatives.
“When George Floyd happened, and we all came together, it was a shift and different from the past. It wasn’t just Black people; it was people from all over the world, which has never happened before, Booker said.
“I feel like with those combinations together, love, unity, and peace, you can’t go wrong. So, with a project of this magnitude, what makes me so proud is when you look at it, you’ll be reminded of where we are now.”
While shedding light on the Black community in turmoil, MMXX: The Black Artivism Capsule
is a timeless moment of hope and joy. The experience has now been expanded from a physical spread to a digital collection of art from a variety of artists. Dubbed as a virtual museum experience, users can embrace its essence while a curated playlist of music artists aims to elevate.“Hopefully, everybody will be moved in a way when they see this book to find something that inspired them or something they love to contribute to the culture and to just put out in the world for themselves,” Booker said. “Because I feel like when you look at this book, even though it was created during this time of chaos, there is still Black joy included in it and so many different facets of art.”