Sustainability Now! | LaNia Roberts | We Don't Wither | 6-26-23

On this week’s Sustainability Now!, your host, Justin Mog, continues an exciting summer series of interviews with local women/fem artists who are all engaged in some form of struggle for social justice and are all featured in an exhibit called “We Don’t Wither,” on display at the Muhammad Ali Center April 1 - December 18, 2023. We Don’t Wither examines the intersection of art and activism.

The artists have created pieces that respond to current socio-cultural and -political situations, lived experiences, and related current events — to see our world and our community through their unique perspectives. The intention is to celebrate the often unheard experiences, opinions, feelings, and perspectives from those who work, create, and fight in our city; to share their artwork and views with visitors; and to provide a space for conversation and reflection. This exhibit is included in the regular price of admission, but you can see it for free and meet the artists themselves during the upcoming ARTIST SHOWCASES:
Shauntrice Martin July 29
LaNia Roberts August 12
Joanne Weis August 26
Morgan McGill September 30
Nikki Douglas October 28
Learn more at: https://alicenter.org/muhammad-ali-center-announces-new-temporary-exhibit-featuring-louisville-area-artists/

This week, we interview LaNia Roberts, an artist who was born in 1996 and raised in the West End of Louisville. As a young black girl who struggled with her identity, she discovered in visual art a creative outlet for self-expression that would prove to be transformative. After several years in Louisville Visual Art’s Children Fine Art Classes and attending Kentucky Governor School for the Arts, she graduated from Central High School in 2014. With multiple scholarships and as a first generation college student, she entered Syracuse University in New York to study painting and was very active in student organizations becoming President of the Black Artist League for 3 years, as well as singing in the Black Celestial Choral Ensemble and more.

While studying at Syracuse, LaNia continued to exhibit work throughout the Louisville area in spaces like the Carnegie Center for Art & History in New Albany and 1619 Flux Art & Activism. During her junior year of college, LaNia was the first ever in her family to travel abroad. She lived and studied painting, photography, and sculpture in Florence, Italy, and took a 4-month art history class throughout Greece. She soon was invited back to Italy to attend art workshops led by master professors taught in Tuscany, Italy in 2017 and 2018. At the end of her senior year, LaNia lived and worked in New York City with internships at Creative Capital and the Ronald Feldman Art Gallery. During the fall of 2018 LaNia lived and studied Human Rights & Multiculturalism for a full semester in Cape Town, South Africa. She has traveled to a total of 13 countries within the past 5 years. LaNia completed her degree in Painting in 2019.

Since traveling and graduating, LaNia has moved back to Louisville. Recently invited to speak at Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI, LaNia was flown out to present her artwork and to talk about “Decolonizing the Art World as a Black Woman” to college students. She continues to exhibit work throughout KY and is thrilled to have the opportunity to give back to her community as much as her community has given to her.

Learn more at https://www.laniaroberts.com/
Get Social: https://www.instagram.com/laniaroberts/

As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW!

Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at http://forwardradio.org

The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at http://appalatin.com