KEEP UP ON DENVER ARTS AND CULTURE AT WESTWORD.COM/ARTS CULTURE Black and Gold PHOTOGRAPHER NARKITA GOLD CHRONICLES BLACK IDENTITY IN DENVER. BY KHALEEL HAYES “What does it mean to be you? What does it mean to you to be Black in Denver? How have your experiences in Denver shaped you?” These are just a few of the questions that Nashville-raised, Denver-based photogra- pher Narkita Gold asks her subjects for her Black in Denver project, which will be on display at the Boulder Museum of Contem- porary Art from February 11 through May 31 as part of From This Day Forward. The exhibition was curated by interdis- ciplinary artist Tya Anthony and includes works by Paula Gasparini-Santos, Rochelle Johnson, Kim Putnam, Ellamaria Ray, Ken- zie Sitterud, Santo Sunra and Autumn T. Thomas. Gold’s work will also be at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver from February 26 through August 22, the Colorado Photographic Art Center from February 19 through April 17, and PlatteForum from March 11 through March 25. Anthony says the title of the Boulder show, From This Day Forward, refl ects on the state of the world during COVID-19 and ongoing political and civil unrest over the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain and other Black people. “We decided that as artists, educators and designers, in order to move forward, we must address what was upon us as a community,” Anthony explains. “We would address grief and loss along with diffi cult conversations of what the world and society has been and could be, and maybe, just possibly, how to fi nd a path to get there.” Gold’s Black in Denver series includes 14 portraits of various African-American people against colorful backdrops, and their an- swers to her questions about their identity. “What I want the viewer to see is the spec- trum,” Gold says. “Ideas I explore are mass media and the concept of the self and how it has defi ned Blackness; mass media and how it molds public perception of Black people; Black people’s vastness, especially around self-expression. We are not a monolith. Our experiences vary.” Subjects of the sixty-plus portraits in- clude teachers, engineers, bus drivers, pod- casters and even Denver Mayor Michael Hancock. While exploring their lives, Gold learned more about her own identity. “I started Black in Denver because I was having an identity crisis here,” Gold conveys. “I think I’ve always tried to fi t a mold. For most of my life, I’ve existed in white spaces. I defi nitely tried to fi t into that world and ended up assimilating.” Gold grew up in Nashville, in a world with churches on every corner, country music blaring everywhere she went, no shortage of Confederate battle fl ags, monuments that praised the Ku Klux Klan, and a street named Robert E. Lee Drive. “I didn’t quite fi t that way of living,” she says. “I’ve always had an urge to leave. I wasn’t white, but tried to fi t the idea of whiteness, because that’s who I was around. When I was around my Black peers, it was rough, because according to them, I ‘acted and talked white.’ So I often felt lonely. “Here [in Denver], I am really proud to be Black, and I am grateful for the experience,” she adds. “I can just exist, and I have never experienced such a thing. For the fi rst time in my life, I started to examine what makes me me. So I decided to ask people about their experience here, and surprisingly, a theme arises. “I love the words people share,” Gold continues. “They articulate the experience in such a profound and beautiful way. It’s moving and inspiring. I also love the people I’ve met.” As a curator, Anthony found herself in- spired by Gold’s use of documentary pho- tography as a vehicle to share the various perspectives and stories of each participant. “Narkita’s work provides an ever-evolving extension of the Black experience,” Anthony explains. “It is my intention as the curator to express the positive impact of sharing the diverse experiences and perspectives of individuals involved in the Black in Denver series, shining a light on the importance and culture of oral traditions, and creating space for the authenticity of a community through their own voice. “Understanding that no one culture is a monolith is dire in further exploring the op- portunities of connecting society instead of tearing it apart,” she adds. “This group show is an invitation for our community to refl ect on the current challenges of our society and contemplate how we can build a better future for all humanity.” Several of Gold’s artistic infl uences in- clude Jean-Michel Basquiat, Shaniqwa Jar- vis, Salvador Dalí, Keith Haring, Kehinde Wiley and Ryan McGinley, whose photos directly inspired Black in Denver. “I saw Ryan McGinley’s work at the Den- ver Museum of Contemporary Art a few years ago,” she says. “I was inspired by the Polaroid series of his friends; it was a source of inspiration for my series. I also loved that he wasn’t afraid to show his early work. It makes me appreciate my progression as an artist, the imperfection in my work, how far I’ve come and how far I may go.” Narkita Gold is a rising force in Denver photography. While Black in Denver is Gold’s fi rst large- scale photo project, she has involved herself in other creative pursuits, from writing poetry and painting to femme hip-hop and voguing. “I’ve been dancing since I could stand,” she says. “Dancing and photography are my fi rst loves. My dad gave me a fi lm camera, which I destroyed, and his Polaroid from Japan when I was little. I drew and wrote po- etry as a child. I don’t know if there was ever a decision to get involved; it was just there. “At one point, I struggled with what to do in life,” she recalls. “But now, photography and art-making have become my favorite. Today, I dance for the love of it. It makes my soul happy.” Gold was trying to make sense of her identity and the labels that were given to her: a Black woman, a free spirit, a thinker and an awkward nerd. “Well, Black was created, so I guess you can say society gave it to me,” she conveys. “After a lot of work and healing, I wear it with pride. A woman is my most salient identity. I was labeled as gifted early on, and even though I’m just getting used to the label, I rarely use it. “I’ve been labeled a creative genius,” she continues. “I’ve heard that a few times. I’m not a genius. I’ve also been called a visionary. All these are hilarious to me, mainly because I know myself, and I think I’m far from those things. While I accept these titles, I prefer to go with something a little less intense, which is how I’ve come to [be] a thinker. It’s just an easier label to live in. Awkward nerd comes from my lived experience. I’ve also been a do-my-own-thing kind of person. I just exist. I try not to think about it too much.” When seeing the photos in Black in Den- ver, viewers are compelled to make eye con- tact with the subjects, who are all looking at the camera as if they are having a one-on-one discussion. Gold says this helps spectators connect with each person’s humanity. “I shoot close up because I want the viewer to meet the gaze of each participant and see our shared humanity,” she explains. “There’s a lot we can discuss, so I’m leaving more room for people to come to their own conclusions. “I will say that there are little nuggets within each interview, and it’s done inten- tionally,” Gold adds. “If you pay attention and read the full interviews — all of them — you’ll fi nd ways to heal yourself, like yoga, therapy, meditation, nature. Plant medicine and psilocybin will be in there at some point, too.” By sharing the stories of everyday people within her community, Gold hopes the proj- ect helps heal Denver’s Black community from individual and collective traumatic ex- periences including police brutality, micro- aggressions, slavery and more. “When I think about our situation, I don’t feel racism can be eradicated,” Gold concludes. “I often think about how Black people can heal themselves and thrive de- spite what’s against us — that’s what moti- vates me. My work is not about the who’s who of Denver. It’s about everyday people who are healing themselves. I just want to document the healing happening here and save it for future generations to use.” View a sampling of Gold’s portraits on the opposite page. See Black in Denver at the opening reception for From This Day Forward, to 8 p.m. Thursday, February 11, at the Boul- der Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th Street in Boulder. Learn more at bmoca.org. FEBRUARY 11-17, 2021 WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | LETTERS | CONTENTS | westword.com KORI HAZEL, COURTESY 303 MAGAZINE
