The art world hasn’t always been an inclusive space with its gatekeeping, lack of diversity in both the galleries and behind the scenes, and its slow push to broaden its lens outside Western European art history. But now we’re fortunate to live in a time where Black and Brown artists, curators, and gallerists are creating their own tables, and interjecting BIPOC narratives and history into the cannon. In recent years there’s been an uptake of Black women-owned galleries, taking up space and building their own programming centered around BIPOC artists. Trailblazers like Nicola Vassell, Ebony L. Haynes, and now add Hannah Traore to that list. Last night, rising art dealer, Hannah Traore celebrated the opening of her eponymous gallery, Hannah Traore Gallery—dressed in a custom Mara Hoffman dress at that! After months and months of research, planning, and curatorial mapping, the gallery opened with dual inaugural exhibitions; ‘Hues’ & ‘Mi Casa Su Casa’—an installation curated by famed Moroccan artist Hassan Hajjaj. ‘Hues’—a group show centered around the poetics of color—features the work of artists Arielle Bobb-Willis, Adebayo Bolaji, Jeffrey Cheung, Camila Falquez, Dan Lam, Wendy Red Starr, Patricia Renee Thomas, Muzae Sesay, and Justin Yoon. ‘Mi Casa Su Casa’—features Moroccan artists exploring notions of home. The shows, separated into two spaces of the gallery, complemented each other seamlessly, with punches of vibrant color. The crowd, incredibly stylish, youthful, diverse, and intimate, reflected the mission of the gallery; to “appreciate what makes every person unique.”
Friends, family, peers, and art world contemporaries filled the well-designed space—with its arched doorways and curved alcoves—to support the rising art star. The likes of Antwaun Sargent, Camila Falquez, Danny Baez, Elizabeth Dee, Tyler Mitchell, Rashid Johnson, Renee Cox, and Quiana Parks all came out to celebrate Traore and her forward thinking programming. It was a night of community, as guests headed to dinner at Thai restaurant Fish Cheeks, following the opening reception. Finally, close friends of the gallery ended the night of celebration, at an intimate after-party at the ever so chic, The Standard East Village. With an outfit change by Hannah—she changed into a Black party dress with puffed sleeve opera gloves—guests danced the night away at The Standard’s NO BAR, a highly inclusive new wave bar that welcomes anyone and everyone. At midnight Hannah cut an aesthetically pleasing pumpkin fig cake by Yip Studio, wrapping up an incredible night of celebration and community.
Scroll the gallery for a recap of the stylish opening:
see inside the chic, intimate afterparty below:
The dual inaugural exhibitions, ‘Hues’ & ‘Mi Casa Su Casa’ are on view from January 20, 2022—Feb 26, 2022, at Hannah Traore Gallery, located at 150 Orchard Street.
