Black Figure & Nude Series
Dark & Divine is a visionary collaboration by figure model and creative entrepreneur Dasia Hood, crafted for the Black community.
This immersive experience invites Black artists to reclaim the narrative of Black bodies—sacred, powerful, and worthy of reverence—against the distortions of colonization and media. Through figurative art and writing, Dark & Divine offers workshops, discussions, and exhibitions that reawaken the Black community’s connection to nudity's cultural and spiritual significance across the African diaspora, embracing divinity, identity, and protest.
From costumed to fully nude figure sessions, each event fosters radical expression and healing, celebrating Blackness in human form. The series culminates in a 21+ bold, sensual, and spiritual exhibition of Black portraiture, showcasing local and regional collaborations between Black artists and models.
In Fall 2024, Dark & Divine will partner with the Harvey B. Gantt Museum, followed by the McColl Center in Summer 2025, featuring Southern Black artists to celebrate Black identity, artistry, and the divine.
Event Gallery Links
Figures in Color: Family Figure Painting
Dark & Divine R&B: 18+ Figure Drawing Session - Gallery Photography Credit: Xross, Votos Design
Celebrating Black Bodies as Art
Dark & Divine programming at Harvey B. Gantt Center spans three months, from August 2024 to October 2024, aligning with Gantt’s Wednesday Night Live, Family Saturday Afternoon, and Art After Dark events. Programming conceptualizes educational, artistic, and cultural perspectives within figurative art. It creates spaces for discussing experiences across the African-American Diaspora influencing body positivity, divine connections, and dysmorphia in the Black community.
Exhibition Partners
Fall 2024 Program
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Figures in Color: Family Figure Painting and Poetry Workshop
8.10 1:00 p.m.
Free and open to the public. RSVP includes art supplies.
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Wednesday Night Live: Adults Only R&B Figure Drawing Session
9.18 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Free and open the public. RSVP required. Limited Seats available.
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Dark & Divine - Art After Dark Imitating Life
10.18 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
RSVP for Pop-up Exhibit, Workshop, and Artist Panel. Free and open to the public. Cash bar.
Elevated Black Figurative Art Experience for All Ages!
Figures in Color is an open figure painting session for all ages led by instructor Ida Mae, a watercolor artist, teacher, and curator. The two-hour session features live, fully clothed African-American art models and figurative watercolor techniques. Participants also use figurative art and creative writing to explore generational influences on body positivity in the Black community.
Figures in Color is part of Gantt’s Becoming the Sea Community Day. The weekend celebration of Becoming The Sea begins with the opening reception on Friday, August 9. It extends to a Saturday of discussion, hands-on art, behind-the-scenes exhibition exploration, live music, and more – all of which have ancestral and diasporic influences that form a bridge between Dakar and Charlotte. It is a day of experiences that the community can enjoy.
Exposure to Fine Art Techniques
Instructor-led figure drawing workshop: Figures in Color is led by fine art and watercolor instructor and artist Ida Mae.
Complimentary art supplies: Thanks to our sponsor, Jerry's Artarama Charlotte, watercolor paint, brushes, paper, and additional art supplies are provided.
Free and open to the public: Figure in Color is free for all ages.
Body Positivity Talks by YASÉ, featuring Tammeka Staley.
Dark & Divine R&B Figure Session welcomed artists and community members, ages 18 and up, to the Harvey B. Gantt Museum for an elevated figure drawing experience. Featuring a curated soundscape of sultry R&B by sonic spirit master Xai, the music was spellcasted by DJ Nebula; acclaimed art instructor Ida Mae led the event. Hosts Dasia Hood and the sensual Wild Recluse set the tone for the evening, which opened with stirring poetry readings, including Phyllis Wheatley's “On Being Brought from Africa to America” and Chike Carter’s “Ode to My Sweet Sexy Brown.” In this intimate setting, models Meka Wilson and Daniel Baptiste held 10-minute poses, inviting guests to immerse themselves in the creative and interactive journey.
Gallery photography credit: Xross, Votos Design
Sponsored by Jerry’s Artarama and Grindhaus Studios
Dark & Divine: R&B 18+ Figure Drawing Session
Dark & Divine Pop-up Exhibit for Ages 21+
Don’t miss the final Dark & Divine experience at the Harvey B. Gantt Center on Friday, October 18, 2024. Subscribe for updates, or follow Dasia Hood, on Instagram for details coming soon!
Dark & Divine x Art After Dark
Dark & Divine featured seven local artists in a 21+ Pop-up Exhibition, co-curated by Wild Recluse, where figurative art with themes of beauty, identity, love, and divinity was showcased alongside a self-guide sensual collage workshop.
The exhibition included a four-person panel who discussed the beauty of Black bodies and experiences in the figurative art community.
Spring 2025 Exhibition
Dark & Divine exhibits figurative art, nude photography, and performance art at the McColl Center, Charlotte’s nationally acclaimed art residency and contemporary arts hub in Uptown.
The exhibition, curated by Dasia Hood, juxtaposes social, cultural, and sensual expressions of nude art and photography to provoke thought on the divinity of Black bodies and their relation to self.
Dates:
March 6th - May 24th
Contact
Fill out the form below to learn more.
Support the Arts: Sponsor Our Elevated Figurative Art Series
Dark & Divine is seeking sponsors for continued experiences. Our sponsors are arts organizations and brands that foster creative and community collaborations, freedom of expression, and Black equality and cultural education.
Join us in bringing the beauty of elevated figurative art to the community by becoming a sponsor of our inspiring series. Your support will help us showcase talented artists who use their craft to uplift and inspire audiences of all ages.
By sponsoring our figurative art series, you'll invest in the local art scene and demonstrate your commitment to fostering creativity and cultural enrichment within the community. Your contribution will enable us to curate exhibitions, host workshops, and organize events that celebrate the power of artistic expression.
You'll be able to use this opportunity to make a meaningful impact and align with an initiative promoting artistic excellence and cultural appreciation. Don't hesitate to contact art.dasiahood@gmail.com to learn how you can support our elevated figurative art series and play a vital role in invigorating the lives of those in our community.
Sponsorship Benefits:
Logo placement
Brand exposure to BIPOC artists and businesses
Dedicated Instagram Reel
Social Media Posts and Story Mentions
Sponsor gift
Special Event Invitation
