Hamiltonian Artists is pleased to present Mic Check, a group exhibition featuring the work of artists Lindsay Adams, Jermaine “jET” Carter, Kamari Carter, Alanna Fields, Cameron A. Granger, Imar Hutchins, Kai Jenrette, and Darol Olu Kae. Taking cues from the sonic landscape and cultural legacy of U Street Corridor, historically known as "Black Broadway,” the exhibition spotlights music’s presence, politicization, and intergenerational resonance within Black American communities. Curated by Anisa Olufemi, director of programs and curator, Mic Check will feature sound, drawing, video, photo, and sculpture—including new works created especially for this exhibition.
Select works from Fields’ Les Girls series open fanned windows into the past, spotlighting archival photographs of Black Drag and Femme Queen icons who paved the way for queer Ballroom culture in 1960s and 70s. Granger’s pseudo-documentary ponders the ominous presence of black holes, searching for the memory of people and places that seem to vanish within them. Dancing between sculpture and illustration, Jermaine “jET” Carter’s work pays tribute to jazz and go-go music’s influence within DC’s collective memory. Jenrette’s short film Keeping Time (2023) ponders the challenges and necessity of stewarding musical tradition across generations. Kamari Carter’s installation-based and 2D works call attention to the weight of silence, and the invasiveness of policing. Both Adams and Jenrette offer abstract drawings that conjure rhythm in gesture and spirit in negative space.
Music holds the unique capacity to transcend the bounds of borders and built-environment with echo and bounce. From Washington, DC, to East Cleveland, Kansas City to Crenshaw, Mic Check celebrates music as a form of power, and a vital tool of resistance.
