In honor of Black History Month, History Fort Lauderdale, celebrating 60 years of stewardship of our community’s past by making our heritage accessible and engaging to residents and visitors, will present “Reflections of Society,” a fine art exhibit featuring works for show and sale from Dillard Center for the Arts’ Advanced Placement (AP) students and instructors, from February 1 – 28. Curated by instructor Celestin Joseph, the soulful and meditative exhibit of photography, studio art, and sculpture expresses adolescent voices in art, history, heritage and community. A meet and greet with the artists will take place on Sunday, February 5, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., at the New River Inn Museum of History building on History Fort Lauderdale’s campus.

“Reflections of Society,” will feature a variety of styles and mediums reflecting African American culture, arts and entertainment as viewed through the lens of youth. Featured pieces in the exhibition include works by AP students Angel Pena, Naima Cornelius, C. Joseph Ellie, Lewis James and Jennifer Turner, among others.

Joseph received his master’s in fine arts in painting from the University of Pennsylvania. He received a bachelor’s in fine arts, cum laude, from the University of Hartford as a painting major, with an art history minor, and concentrations in printmaking and graphic design studies. Joseph also received a prestigious Yale/Norfolk Art and Music Scholarship to further his studies. Currently, he is teaching Advanced Placement studio art classes at his alma mater Dillard Center for the Arts where he has been strengthening the visual arts program since 1999.

“Reflections of Society,” is one of several engaging multicultural experiences at History Fort Lauderdale. Permanent exhibits include “Women Trailblazers: Champions of Change Broward County,” “From Dugouts to Dream Yachts,” a visual narrative weaving the story of the ever- changing use of Fort Lauderdale’s waterways by following the strokes of the first people to today’s sightseers, “The Bryans of Fort Lauderdale” which allows visitors to experience the story of the City of Fort Lauderdale as told through the pioneer family that shaped its development from an agricultural outpost in 1896 to a bustling city in the 1920s to its current status as a leading Metropolis, “Juliette Lange: A Portrait of a Mezzo Soprano,” a fashion and lifestyle glimpse of the socially prominent Fort Lauderdale resident with a lauded career as a star vocalist of musical comedy, plus “Archaeology of the New River” and a multitude of stories and photos sharing the history of other founding families of Fort Lauderdale. The nonprofit museum also hosts a variety of yearly multicultural exhibits highlighting Caribbean, Latin, Native American and women artists sharing their views of history and an artists’ collective collaborative space.

History Fort Lauderdale is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. with docent guided tours, daily, at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Group walking tours are available upon special request. Admission is $15 for adults; $12 for seniors and $7 for students (through age 22 with a valid student ID). Admission is free for members, military and children ages six and under. Tickets are available online at HistoryFortLauderdaleTickets.

For more information about History Fort Lauderdale, please call (954) 463-4431 or visit us online at historyfortlauderdale.org.
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