Artist Roscoé B. Thické III Centers Work On Pork 'n' Beans Projects In His Debut Solo Exhibit At Oolite Arts

Photographer, visual artist, veteran, community advocate, and father of three-those are just a few words that describe Miami-born Roscoé B. Thické III.

Starting Feb. 10 through May 15, audiences will have the opportunity to view his impressive work at Oolite Arts where Thické will debut his first solo exhibition, ORDER MY STEPS: There are no answers here, move on.

Curated by Rosie Gordon-Wallace, the exhibition highlights a narrative rich body of work, centered around the Pork 'n' Beans Projects in Liberty City. Thické's ongoing body of work, titled "1402 Pork N Bean Blue at The Intersection of Two Deaths" chronicles the lifespan of the housing project where he grew up and that of his late grandmother. The images explore place as a way to remember and honor the life and legacy of both.

For Thické, photography begins with investigation. He says "The narratives are built out of asking questions and trying to capture the preciousness of memory, because we know nothing is permanent. This show features several bodies of work that all were created with the intent of honoring and remembering. For me, having grown up in this place with these people, I knew I had to memorialize what was beginning to disappear right in front of me."

"Roscoè's work touches upon a sense of disconnection that his family felt and that families continue to feel in neighborhoods like Pork 'n' Beans," said Gordon-Wallace, who is a recognized curator, arts advocate, community leader and founder of the Diaspora Vibe Culture Arts Incubator. "It was not until Roscoe entered the military and lived in different places that he gained a new perspective about Miami beyond the few blocks where he grew up. He's showing you that even in isolation, there is joy, there is family, there is commitment, there is life."

To coincide with the exhibition, Oolite Arts will collaborate with IlluminArts to present Roscoè B. Thické III: Parables at The Light Box at Goldman Warehouse in Wynwood at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 16. This musical and spoken word performance event marks the fourth year of Oolite Arts partnership with IlluminArts and will weave Thické's photography and stories together with music sung by "vocally sumptuous" (Chicago Tribune) soprano Whitney Morrison.

Through storytelling developed and crafted by Thické and poet Arsimmer McCoy, this dramatic presentation will introduce audiences to the artist's work. The musical program will feature works by Terence Blanchard, Jessie Montgomery, Nina Simone and more. Tickets are free and will be available to the public starting Feb. 23, 2022, via Eventbrite here.

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