Seen, Heard and Honored: ‘Hold the Line, Volume III’ at PATH Museum

In late September, Hold the Line, Volume III: Ode to the Black Woman exhibit opened at the PATH Museum. When I arrived, I was greeted by a painting of a young girl standing in front of an American flag. She was staring right at me, as if to invite me in, daring me to unearth the stories inside of which there were many. Inside, I saw paintings, sculptures, photographs and more, each depicting women who looked like me, at all different ages and stages of life. These pieces hold stories in their intricate details, highlighting both the future and the past, some bursting with colors and others muted.

The works spoke to me and told me their stories, while simultaneously asserting that through this exhibit, Black women are seen, heard, acknowledged and understood in all of our complexity.

Co-curator rEN Dillard walked me through the exhibit and offered a great deal of insight. He organized the exhibit with Brian Hebert and explained that with each volume more pieces have been included. This exhibit in particular is designed to pay tribute to the power, beauty and resilience of Black women. The title Hold the Line is a nod to the military strategy of standing firm against oppression. Featuring 50 renowned male artists from various backgrounds and ages, the exhibit serves as a means of “reaching out to Black women to say we love, respect and honor you,” Dillard explained.

The intent of this collection is to heal the divide between Black men and women. It’s a dialogue between the two, offering an opportunity for Black men to give reverence to Black women and to show vulnerability and love while pushing back against societal marginalization. Through each work, the show aims to uplift and tell the stories of Black women through these men’s eyes with honor and grace. All in all, it is about standing in solidarity and dismantling stereotypes.

Dillard describes himself as a futurist — always thinking about what’s next and pushing the envelope — which is reflected in his work. One of his works included in this show had many gilded elements and featured a futuristic Black female warrior that was displayed alongside other pieces that tackled similar themes of futuristic female warriors. Dillard said that he views this exhibit, and curating in general, as an extension of his work, as collaging and curating an exhibit hold some similarities.

We discussed the process of curating this exhibit, and Dillard explained that they reached out to some artists from previous exhibits along with new artists — all told, Hebert and Dillard contacted 50 contemporaries. They got the artists on the same page about the vision and sent them a two-page prospectus. Sometimes the artists sent in things that were not a great fit, and the curators worked with them to find artwork that fit the vision better, occasionally even going into their studios and looking through their collections together. 

When putting together an exhibit, Dillard expressed that he considers the size of the works and how they would fit into the space; the colors; and how the pieces would fit into the overall narrative. He said that he wants the pieces to be in conversation with one another.

Dillard mentioned that there were at least 200 people in and out of the exhibit on opening night and in the weeks people have continued showing up to see the art. “This exhibit is a frequency holder,” said Dillard. “We are all using our power for good and holding the frequency until others catch up.”

“Everyone’s been saying it feels like a safe space.”

One piece that stood out to me was Portal Sentry by Aaron F. Henderson. This piece features very vibrant colors and a futurist theme centered around a female figure sporting a floating crown and holding a staff. In the piece, she is striding toward the viewer, head held high. There is so much power in this work, and I felt the strength of the woman by just looking at it. 

By the time I left the exhibit, I certainly felt seen as a Black woman. We wear many hats, and I could see that represented visually in this exhibit. It is truly powerful. Dillard said, “Art transcends being a visual artist into being a thought leader,” and that resonated with me because art isn’t just visually appealing; it has the power to speak to the artists themselves, what’s happening in the world and even hints at the person who commissions or purchases a piece. At the end of the day, art is an act of resistance and healing.

This exhibit is on view at the PATH Museum through November 10, and the curators are hosting an artist talk at 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 8. The artist talk will enlist 10 female poets; each of them will interpret a piece of art in the exhibit and then perform spoken word about the works.

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Jhazzmyn Joiner (aka Jhazzy) is a writer, poet and creative spirit with a soft spot for storytelling that uplifts community voices. She’s the editor-in-chief of Three Panels Press and leads communications at L’Arche Atlanta. With a background in gerontology, media and making meaning out of everyday moments, her work lives at the intersection of art, equity and expression. A singer, traveler and lover of bold ideas, she’s often deep in a playlist, scribbling a poem or wandering an art show, dreaming up her next big project.