Artists interpret the Black Camden experience through paintings, poetry

CAMDEN, NJ - In celebration of Black History Month, the Camden County Historical Society (CCHS) is showcasing "Roots and Realities: The Black Camden Experience."

Local artists are sharing their interpretation of the Black Camden experience through their paintings, poetry and photographs. 

What they're saying:

"Who not better than us to tell our narratives," said Amirah Kane, Cultural Education Coordinator of CCHS. "That’s the uniqueness about this exhibit is that it really resonates with the Black inner city experience and what it’s like being Black in America and in Camden."

Aaron Cooper is going on 20 years as a Camden firefighter and said he discovered a love for art during the pandemic. 

"A lot of people overlook the fact that us as Black people in the City of Camden have historical aspects tied into the community and the roots run deeper than just the surface level," said Cooper.

Jemel Balkman was born and raised in Camden and said his work reflects that upbringing. 

"We have an art voice, a scene, that’s growing and burgeoning. I’m proud to be part of that officially," said Balkman. "There’s a duality I guess that goes on in my art. I wanted to show a little bit of chaos, a little bit of intentionality. Things from the city that affected me and went into I guess development of my art and my art style."

Kane said she’s also researching to learn more about a series of paintings that were done by an artist named Thelma Noels Skinner in the 1970s. 

"A resident came in, he’s like I bought this home in the Parkside area. We’re fixing it up. We’d rather fix it up than have it torn down and I bought it as is, and in the basement I found a boatload of collections from this artist and all I could find was her name. Thelma Noels Skinner," said Kane.

What's next:

The exhibit is on display Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays between 1-4 p.m. through the first week of March, with a closing ceremony event on March 1.