2024 Issue 1 Jan/Feb Focus - Mid-South Magazine

Self portrait, Joi Purvy - Defy
curator and Arrow Creative Program
Coordinator, courtesy Joi Purvy
DEFY
at Arrow Creative
Creative arts district, Arrow, is hosting a Black
History Month gallery called DEFY.
DEFY explores Black joy as resistance and
offers artists ample space and safety to express
that. In its opening night, defiance takes on
many different mediums from paintings,
photography, live poetry readings and more—
featuring queer artists like photographer
Anthony Lorenzo and multidisciplinary artist
Tangela Mathis.
DEFY’s opening show is February 8 at
5:30pm at Arrow Creative in Midtown, 653
Philadelphia St, Memphis, TN 38104. Follow
@memphisarrowcreative on Instagram or
check or arrowcreative.org for updates.
Interior shots of Arrow Creative
photo by Erica Haskett
Cooper Community Center
photo courtesy of OUTMemphis
Black History Month
Wellness Fair
at OUTMemphis
Black queer creativity requires rest for
resistance, and prioritizing mental health. This
Black History Month, nonprofit OUTMemphis
plans to help fulfill that need with a fair focused
on Black LGBTQ health, highlighting Blackowned
businesses and organizations with a
specific focus on wellness and wellbeing.
Black History Month Wellness Fair February
22, 3:30-7:30PM, location TBA. Follow
OUTMemphis on Instagram or check out their
website outmemphis.org for updates.
The Metamorphosis Project Building
photo courtesy of OUTMemphis
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Jan+Feb 2024 | focuslgbt.com | Creativity 27