FORT LAUDERDALE — The African-American Research Library and Cultural Center gallery is featuring Out of Many, One People — the paintings, photographs and “digital constructions” of Jamaican artists PhDavis uses the computer to create single images from bits and pieces of his own photography, or “digital constructions.”

But even before the advent of personal computers, he created powerful multi-layered images to describe the world around him.

The themes of Davis’ works are social causes, including the environment, nationality, gender, race, religion, homelessness, poverty, exploitation, sexual orientation and discrimination. Louis Davis and David Muir, who live in southeast Florida.

The grand opening of this exhibit, with the artists in attendance, will be held Wednesday at the center. The exhibition runs through September Curtis, who has his home and studio in the Sail Boat Bend Arts Loft in Fort Lauderdale, paints portraits, jazz musicians and sports scenes.
 
He studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Art Student League in New York City. He was a courtroom artist for the trials of Jim Baker and Manuel Noriega. Some of his paintings were featured in the movie Out of Time, starring Denzel Washington.

His professional affiliations include the Kuumba Arts Association and he is a visiting artist at the Miami Bakehouse.

Although his images are usually ambiguous, in this show they have a central theme, with many sub-themes. How the viewer interprets the images says something about them.

Davis says his first real job was in television production which involved personal expression in videography, writing and film editing. He began serious work in photography in 1984 and held his first one-person show in 1999 at the Mutual Gallery, Jamaica’s premier commercial gallery.

Since coming to the U.S., he has exhibited in juried shows at the Boca Raton Museum of Art and the Chelsea Gallery in Miami and in group exhibitions at the Sailboat Bend Artists Galleries.Muir first took up photography as a hobby during high school in Jamaica.

After moving to Florida, he honed his passion into both a business venture and an artistic pursuit. He owns and operates DAVIDiPhoto, Inc., which provides photography services, specializing in corporate portraits, weddings and event photography.

Periodically, Muir returns to Jamaica with his camera to shoot scenes of Jamaican life. His images capture the beauty of the people and their rich and diverse landscape. His subjects are the peanut vendor, children in the park, girls dressed in church outfits, young men playing dominoes and candid moments in the marketplace.

“Not only are the island's pristine white sand beaches and landscape of hills, vegetation, and fauna breathtaking but, in its culture and people, Jamaica's true magnificence can be found,” Muir says.

IF YOU GO

 

WHAT: Opening reception for the Out of Many, One People exhibition

WHEN: 5 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 17

WHERE: African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, 2650 Sistrunk BLVD., Fort Lauderdale

CONTACT: Call 954-625-2810

 

Photo: PHOTO COURTESY OF AARLCC

Digital constructions: This piece, titled, Abandon hope all ye who enter, was created by Louis Davis. It is among works on display at the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center gallery in Fort Lauderdale through September.