We can’t believe it’s been 3 weeks since the opening of Reverence: An Archival Altar, New Haven! A time was had 🫶🏾✨ We hope that you all still feel the love and joy that our amazing artists brought to this project.
Thank you again to everyone who came out to the opening reception. And thank you to all of our partners who made it possible. Y’all are the amazing 🤩
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Reverence is still on view at @__nxthvn__ with gallery hours weekly Wednesday - Sunday 2p-6p, drop in and take in the amazing stories of our community greats and giants ❤️ be on the look out for future programming.
Thank you for this amazing and beautiful recap video @kikibidon@westaydisruptive 🎥
This beautiful video was sponsored by our friends at @ceio.nhv ✨
❤️What is Reverence: An Archival Altar?
It’s a community-rooted storytelling, archival, and art project that celebrates the lives of everyday people as the greats and giants of the local Black community.
Through interviews, family memory, and creative collaboration, we transformed these powerful stories into sacred altar installations honoring Black legacy, healing, and home.
This is memory work. This is love work. This is reverence.
🖤 Learn more and RSVP for the June 28th opening at the link in bio.
https://posh.vip/e/reverence-an-archival-altar-new-haven-exhibition-opening
🖼️ REVERENCE: An Archival Altar is a living exhibition and love offering that honors the giants within eight Black families of New Haven, CT. Curated by Arvia Walker in collaboration with NXTHVN, this sacred show invites us to reflect on how we remember, revere, and witness Black lives through storytelling, archival preservation, and altar-making.
📍Join us on June 28th for an evening of remembrance, community, and creativity - featuring altar installations by the curator that include original works of art by:
🎨Kulimushi “Kuli” Barongizi, Sydney “Syd” Bell, Marquis Brantley, Marsh John, Shaunda Holloway, Jasmine Nikole, and Melissa “Mel” Phillips.
With gratitude to the families of:
Mrs. Syla Alexandria Artis Branch, Mr. James Brantley Sr., Ms. Juanita Keen Cooper, Mrs. Elizabeth Fain, Mrs. Annie Huckaby, Mrs. EllaNora Price, Mr. Douglas McClure, and Mr. Edward Giuleppse Miller III.
Free and open to the public. Enjoy pop-up archival consultations with the Beinecke Library, free portraits by The Photobooth LLC, ancestor letter writing, live music by DJ Too Much, and a special performance by Paul Bryant Hudson and band.
📣LINK IN BIO TO RSVP📣
“Write the vision and make it plain,” HABAKKUK 2:2
My ancestors have visited me through dreams my entire life. With age and practice, I've learned to stay present and aware during these rare moments when I get to see and feel my folks again. Reuniting with my grandpa after his passing was a deeply healing experience. I'll never forget the connection we shared.
This is an excerpt from my artist statement on @reverencearchives 🫶🏾 it’s a short read linked in my bio.
A few people have asked me what’s next for @reverencearchives . This project is so deeply personal, emotional and spiritual. And because of that and what life threw at us in 2025, I need a little respite to dream up what comes on the other side of such an amazing opening.
In the meantime, rejoice in this beautiful work and read my artist statement for Reverence: An Archival Altar, New Haven 🫶🏾 it’s linked in my bio. Shout out to the folks who made NXTHVN yearbook 6 beautiful 🦋
What a dream 💫 Sunday, November 23rd was the closing of Reverence: An Archival Altar, New Haven. This project has changed me deeply. I am so grateful to the artists and families who shared their talent and their precious stories with us. Thank you to @__nxthvn__ and especially my loves @sageseeker0 and @marissa_ofthebull for believing in this work and hosting us. Reverence was really a true testament of the power of our community here in New Haven and what it looks like when you put us at the center.
I hope that everyone who attended an event and got to experience the exhibition were able to take home a small seed that you are able to plant. We are here. The greats and giants in our lives deserve to be revered. All of us deserve to be witnessed. May this holiday season you be moved to start your own archive or just hit record while telling your favorite stories.
This work has been such an honor and I’m excited for what’s to come next. May our ancestors continue to guide us. May goodness and plenty keep pouring into us. Amen, Asé, It is so 🫶🏾
- Arvia
See yall Sunday 🫶🏾 Meet us at @__nxthvn__ for the closing celebration of Reverence: An Archival Altar, New Haven. We will be in conversation with a few of our amazing artists and families that made this project possible 💐
Leave with your out altar & art piece honoring your greats and bring home tools to start your own family archive 🫶🏾 and experience the exhibition 💕
Won’t you celebrate with us?
Join us for the closing celebration of Reverence: An Archival Altar. Be in community with us as we hear from our amazing and beloved artists and families that made this project possible. And leave home with a memory keepsake and tools to build your own bank of stories aka start your archive.
Bring your photos, bring your people. And help us honor the life work of our folks and ourselves as we lean into the practice of being good ancestors one day.
To be Black and alive, and to have lived is a miracle. Won’t you celebrate with me?
All are welcome. All ages are welcome. Hope to see you there ❤️
Join us Sunday, November 23, 3-6PM for the Reverence Exhibition Closing Celebration with Artist & Family Talk!
Come to make art in memory of loved ones: write a letter to future generations; collage on canvases, memory boxes, and church fans; print out family photos from your phone to include in your artworks. Hear from artists and families who participated in the exhibition on what it meant for them to publicly share their stories of a family “great” and create and see artwork that memorializes that loved one. All ages are welcome.
Thank you to everyone that came out to enjoy some wine and art making during our Sip and Print 🫶🏾 it was such a pleasure to fellowship with you all and to see the amazing altars and works of art you created.
A huge shoutout to @sageseeker0 for organizing and putting this event together and @brenttheterrible for creating our amazing custom printed canvases ✨y’all are the best!
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out @reverencearchives on display at @__nxthvn__ until November. We have a couple more events in the works so follow us at @reverencearchives and sign up for @__nxthvn__ newsletter for updates
Join us for Reverence Sip & Print on Thursday, October 2 at 6pm! 🎟️$30 tickets on Eventbrite. 🔗Link in bio.
🎨Come create a custom printed and painted canvas in honor of a loved one. Bring a photo of a loved one (or yourself) on your phone to print on photo transfer material. You will learn how to transfer these images on pre-screen printed canvases courtesy of @deadby5am . Finish your masterpiece off by painting on your custom canvas!
Art materials will be provided. Wine and soft drinks will be provided while supplies last.
This is an adult-centered event in conjunction with our current exhibition, Reverence: An Archival Altar New Haven curated by @reverencearchives@thecomingofthesun | You must be 21+ to drink.
Photo: @mzph by @bizzier_
Yesterday we laid to rest our beloved, “City.” As a kid I remember City being larger than life, always wearing big church hats, patterns and bright clothes. Her personality was so eccentric and loving. She always greeted you with a smile and laughter.
I often talk about my grandfather when talking about the origins of @reverencearchives but it was City who sparked a fire back in my early 20s while I was canvassing doing voter registration. I was tabling at the farmers market in Hartford and City came by and was SO excited to see me. She sat with me for some time and went through this beautiful history of resistance and organizing that my great grandfather did while living on Rita Plantation in Clewiston, FL. I had NEVER heard these stories and got so intrigued by my family history. City was the elder that knew all the family business and history, she was the first elder who opened up a door for me. I am forever grateful because I truly believe that spark lit and passed from me to my kin. We are all so curious now. Asking questions, investigating and uncovering a beautiful truth and history that we will be able to pass to each generation to come. We love you City. Well done, a life so beautifully lived.
I encourage you all to get curious, start documenting and keeping safe the library of memories and information our elders and families are holding. Happy Friday loves, ask one question this weekend, record it, and see what doors open up ✨🫶🏾
