BUFFALO, NY.- Granville Carroll’s Black Serenity explores the ways in which blackness occupies space. Low-light and low-contrast, Carroll’s self-portraits command viewers to slow down, concentrate, and confront their perceptions of race and blackness. This immersive exhibition creates an environment for self-reflection; a sensorial experience that presents blackness not as a void or absence, but as endless possibility.

As stated by Carroll, “Black Serenity is an exploration of the polarities within darkness as it relates to a primal sense of fear and a conscious mode of evolution and healing. This project explores my relationship to isolation and solitude, and how one’s perspective shapes the world they live in. The darkness of space is empty, void, and yet, it represents everything that is and can be.”

On September 4th from 6:00-9:00 PM, Carroll will be teaching Self-Portraiture & Post-Processing here at CEPA. Participants will learn the techniques behind Carroll’s signature low-light, low-contrast self-portraiture, seen in Black Serenity. The workshop will cover self-portraiture, studio lighting, and post-processing, with time for discussion and demonstration, practice time, and editing. This is a great opportunity to gain insight into the theory and practice of an exhibiting artist. Click HERE to sign up.

Granville Carroll is a Phoenix-based artist and Afrofuturist. He earned his MFA in photography and related media from the Rochester Institute of Technology and is currently teaching at Arizona State University. Carroll’s work has been shown across the United States and internationally. He has been awarded Top 50 Critical Mass 2022, a NYSCA/NYFA Fellowship in Photography, and a JGS Fellowship for Photography

Along with the opening of Black Serenity, CEPA is excited to announce the launch of the Focus Residency. The goal of this residency is to support emerging local artists through mentorship, professional development, and active community engagement. For four months, the Resident Artist will have 24/7 access to a studio in CEPA’s Focus Gallery, where street-facing windows offer the public a view into the creative process while making the arts more accessible. The Resident Artist will also host monthly public events designed to foster connection and encourage participation within the community.

Malik Rainey, our first Focus Resident, begins his work at CEPA on September 1st.