An 'Ode to the Women in D.C': 'THROUGHLINE VOL. II' Honors Local Changemakers With Multidisciplinary Art Exhibit

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much would it amount to when fused with original poetry, vibrant artwork, and themed cuisine?

California natives Xavier Renard Cunningham and Taylor Smalls offer insight to this question in Northwest D.C., with “THROUGHLINE: VOLUME II (VOL. II),” an exclusive multisensory art exhibition that leverages photography, painting, performance art, and culinary craft to champion 16 of the District’s Black unsung heroines. 

“[‘THROUGHLINE’] was always about, how do we celebrate something, and how do you do that through art,” said Cunningham, creative producer of “THROUGHLINE.” “The cheeky answer is, why not Black women, who are – for us – the foundation, not only of what runs our [cities], but we think the world.”

Through Dec. 22, art connoisseurs can indulge in an immersive experience of culture and ambiguity, as Autoshop at Union Market hosts “THROUGHLINE’S” second iteration and first-ever in D.C.

The interdisciplinary exhibit combines poetry, music, and visual and culinary art to honor the breadth of women trailblazers across various platforms, from education and activism to entrepreneurship and wellness.  

“[This] was created deeply starting with that fundamental purpose of unearthing those change makers, those change agents who are sometimes and more often than not, uncelebrated … even though they are shifting and shaping culture as we know in every city,” Cunningham explained.

District honorees such as Ashley Etienne and Alencia Johnson have fearlessly shaped the local political landscape, while other heavy-hitters like Kelsye Adams, Sister Mary Brown and Chloe Dulce Louvouezo — the latter two present for a “VOL. II” display on Dec. 15 — redefine social narratives and advocate for underserved groups locally and nationally. 

Other celebrated recipients include: Ayo Tometi; Dionna Dorsey; Christine Platt; Rhea Combs; and Carla L. Sims, to name a few. 

“Too often, we walk through this life doing extraordinary things, but going unseen,” Etienne, who was also in attendance on Sunday, told The Informer. “So to be seen and then to have it … for people like my daughter and others to see it and to admire the beauty, the essence and the work of Black women is just incredible.” 

Imitation: The Sincerest Form of Flattery

Dozens of spectators gathered on Dec. 15 to witness the virtuosity and impact of “THROUGHLINE VOL. II,” which features breakout artists: Adedayo Kosoko (photographer); Gabrielle Hights (musician); Smalls (painter); as well as Chef Keem Hughley of Bronze DC, and award-winning poet Michael Wayne Turner III. 

The collaborative exhibit is a powerful demonstration of nesting beauty in the eye of the beholder, with two levels of subject-based illustrations and individualized food dishes contingent on artistic ambiguity and perception. 

As the lamented poetry explores themes of introspection and endurance, the visuals emulate the honorees’ pride and potency; Meanwhile, Chef Hughley’s paired custom entrees provide flavor to the textures and colors of the distinct images, culminating in a celebration for all the senses. 

“Sitting with each of these women, taking time to really respect who they are, what they have come to be and how they stand in this exact moment … this is an ode. It’s a love letter to the women in D.C.,” said Smalls.

Turner brought the stilled images and deep-colored portraits to life as the classically trained thespian led guests on a theatrical tour through Autoshop — his voice commanding the room with a spiritual cadence as he recited each of his poems to the soulful refrain:“Maybe, you’ll join me down by the river, so I may wash away all of my pride.” 

Darlene Brown, CEO of Divine Empowerment, appreciated the reflective aspect of the interdisciplinary exhibition, which she described as: “cathartic,” “inspirational,” and “a catapult” to empowerment. 

“As I walked through, reading the poetry, examining the photos, the entire experience, I felt seen as a Black woman in America,” Brown told The Informer. “I felt validated, I felt heard, I felt valued … in a way that I can’t say that I’ve ever experienced coming to [an] exhibit [for] art and poetry.” 

According to Smalls, who crafted all 18 paintings in the exhibit, the collaborative approach of artistic practices serves as what she calls a throughline to creatively “pass the baton” of culture preservation and diasporic solidarity. 

The Oakland-based painter boasted one particular example: “Young Saffron,” a canvas painting of local entrepreneur and honoree Angel Gregorio with a saffron-colored base. 

Since Gregorio travels internationally, particularly to Africa, to collect unique spices, Hughley made her personal dish a wagyu hot dog topped with Mambo Sauce — a D.C. speciality — and infused it with saffron spices from her spice boutique, The Spice Suite, located in the city’s Langdon Park community.

“It’s this really beautiful storytelling working together on so many different levels of artistry, but also across the diaspora … to hold what we know culturally, and specifically, in this city,” Smalls told The Informer. 

But, the power of artistic exploration shone beyond connections to D.C. culture. 

For Felicia Allen, a Florida-based grief counselor who flew to D.C. for the Dec. 15 showcase, the artists proved to encapsulate not only the spirit of the champions on the walls, but the resilience of Black women throughout African American history.

“This show is a culmination of who [Black women] are as people. Our strength, our intellect, our creativity, our innovation,” Allen told The Informer. “There is truth in these writings, in these pictures. We know who we are and what we’ve done, and this is a space of empowerment.”

Championing Prosperity, Representation Through the Arts

The shared project upholds a deeper purpose of centering what Cunningham considers “the core and foundation” of the Black community: mutual support and collaboration.

“[‘THROUGHLINE’] is about fighting against that notion that everything we do must be in silence, that we must pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps,” said Cunningham. “We truly believe it’s through community that you get ahead, that each person in this room has their own throughlines and connective tissue that can unlock their deepest dream.”  

In addition to championing local changemaking, creative spaces like “THROUGHLINE” act to preserve the future of cultural arts–an industry where Black people are disproportionately outnumbered.  

Data from a Burns Halperin Report shows that between 2008 and 2020, Black American artists only represented approximately 2% of museum acquisitions and 6% of exhibits, despite Black Americans making up 13.6% of the entire United States population. 

With the methodic integration of various modalities, Allen said “THROUGHLINE” underscores the value of diversity in the arts and opens doors that could catapult creativity and innovation.

“We speak through the arts. [It’s] deeply rooted in our culture…[and] opens up that venue for us to be demonstrative, to have exploration and teach at the same time,” she explained. “I think now more than ever, that’s what we need.” 

As “THROUGHLINE VOL. III” prepares to host its third installation in Detroit, Michigan, honoree Etienne commends the institute’s commitment to Black women inclusion, emphasizing the gravity of uplifting vulnerable communities–especially given recent political cycles.

“There are a lot of Black women that are feeling dejected, betrayed and undervalued after the election,” said the CBS News political contributor. “An exhibit like this that puts on display the finest of Black women and the humanity of Black women, I think, is not only timely, but it is priceless, and it is invaluable to our spirits right now.”

This story is part of the Digital Equity Local Voices Fellowship Lab. The Lab initiative is made possible with support from Comcast NBCUniversal.