5×5 features five photographs by five photographers, usually curated around a specific subject matter, selected by a guest editor.
Jessica Pettway is a visual artist based in New York.
The Future is (Black) Femme celebrates the visual identity of brilliant black femmes. From Rochelle Brock’s psychedelic portraits to Ojima Balaka and Jessica Spence’s lighthearted vignettes, the show spans multiple mediums and black experiences from varying journeys. Within our communities as Black artists we bare the honor (sometimes burden) of cultivating imagery that accompanies the rich spirit that lies within us all. We speak in code, leaving both subtle and verbose nuances for one another to cling to. Though these defiant artists’ have all lead unique experiences within the African diaspora, similar themes of kinship, tenderness and rejoicing run through all of their works. This exhibit is a celebration of Black femmes and the culture they create and the communities they foster.
Curated by Jessica Pettway, Josette Roberts and Miranda Barnes, the show runs Sept. 22 to Oct. 3, 2017 at 329 Broome in New York.





