This past Saturday I pulled up to instagram.com/madespaceseattle/ for Beniam’s Black Art Exhibit! @madespaceseattle “Made Space {formerly The Liink Project} is an Art, Culture, and Business Hub activated in early 2021. It is about connecting emerging Black creatives and entrepreneurs with resources, space, knowledge, and visibility. Beyond a space, Made Space is a concept. It’s about partnership, knowledge, and cooperative economics and THRIVING TOGETHER.”
As I walked into the space I introduced myself to the few people who were there, I met Beniam’s mother who had a space set up to make a traditional coffee, which I, later on, had to try! I am not much of a coffee drinker but it was very strong while also sweet! I was one of the very first people there and shortly friends and family of Beniam started trickling in. I noticed printed digital photos all over the wall. The pictures were very moving and monumental. You can almost feel the emotions right through the photos. There was also a food vendor called instagram.com/goldcoastghal/ which specializes in Liberian, Ghanaian & favorite West African foods in Seattle via catering. I had a meat pie and it was one of the best meat pastries I’ve ever had! I had to leave early but later on that day Beniam had a documentary showing which he put together, I wish I had stayed and gotten more information on this !! All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Beniam’s Art Exhibit! It was entirely good vibes and positivity! Thank you Beniam and his people for putting this together! We wish you the best in your future endeavors!!
You can support Beniam here: https://www.instagram.com/beniam_y/
Here is a little bit about the host Beniam!
“I aim to host an art exhibition in the greater Seattle community to educate the public about the ongoing genocide in Tigray, Ethiopia. As a photographer, I have worked tirelessly to document the ongoing efforts to end the genocide, including capturing pictures from demonstrations in Seattle, Portland, Denver, Atlanta, New York, Washington D.C., and Paris. My work has been recognized throughout various media outlets, including the New York Times, BBC Africa, Agence-France-Presse, Converge Media, The UpNUp Network, KOMO 4, KING 5, KIRO 7, Q13 FOX, and the Mercer Island Reporter. However, despite these efforts, the general public in Seattle still lacks awareness about the atrocities occurring in Tigray.”