There’s creating, there’s reviewing, and then there’s curating. It’s not an enviable job to make cuts, to balance on the fine line between too much and not enough, or to weave together the works of individual artists into a unified narrative. In her curatorial debut, Tatianna Mack selected works by Black women across regions and mediums for a curation inspired by conversations with her grandmother. While each of the four artists featured in “I Got a Story to Tell” has a unique style, the exhibit brings together women’s stories of legacy and resilience.

Blu Murphy, a DC-based artist, combines textiles, collage, and cloth covered frames to reimagine black and white photos of contemporary and historical events. WE THEM ONES WE AIN’T GOING BACK features three black girls on their way to school. Their white dresses and modest hairstyles evoke Ruby Bridges, but the title of the work becomes clear when you see that this triad is armed with The Autobiography of Malcom X, Assata, and 48 Laws of Power. They walk towards a sign declaring ‘The Way Forward’ and a red stripe across their eyes connects this work to the other pieces by Murphy. The stripe — a literal redline — is the common thread between Blu’s pieces in this show. 

Kaylyn Webster made the trek from Memphis along with three photorealistic paintings. The large scale works are organic conversation starters — her attention to detail ensures that you’re bound to focus on something your companion likely won’t even have noticed. No matter how many times I circled the gallery, I kept coming back to Webster’s Pool Day. The immediate focal point is the boy in a cartoon floaty but there’s even more to see in the wood grain, blades of grass, the loose fit of the children’s clothing, and everyone’s brown skin glinting in the sun. If you stare long enough, you’ll see you’re being spied on, too: by a pair of black and white eyes through the fence.

Brittney S. Price, a muralist from Los Angeles, brings a single piece: a wall-filling triptych. Against a yellow background, Black women painted in swoopy waves of magenta and sapphire rest their heads peacefully on each others’ shoulders. It’s a collective exhale and a reminder of the sisterhood we find when we can rely on each other. 

Lex Marie, a multidisciplinary artist from DC, has fashioned political statements from familiar materials. With rulers, an automatic weapon. With graduation cords, a version of the American flag. With khaki school uniform pants, Do You Have A Pencil? This work is part of a larger collection of sketches that incorporate uniform pants like the ones her son wears to school. Her intentional choice to include school supplies like graduation cords, rulers, uniform pants, and pencils offer commentary on the militarization and violence of American education.  

Together in one space these works intone on behalf of all Black women. We went through something and lived to tell the tale. We got stories to tell. 

“I Got A Story To Tell” is on view at Tanya Weddemire Gallery in Industry City, Brooklyn until March 8th, 2025. All works are available for purchase.