By Ryan Kouame
The Mint Museum Uptown will be highlighting the importance of stewarding and preserving Black art through an upcoming exhibition called The Vault starting July 1. Curated by artist, curator and custodian of Black art, Jessica Gaynelle Moss, this exhibition will present a range of vintage photography, original paintings, prints, sculptures, furniture, vinyl records and other Black ephemera from some of Charlotte’s most prominent Black art collectors.
Charlotte-based collectors featured in The Vault all have distinct approaches and philosophies to collecting art, similar to thefour types of art collectors categorized by national art services executive, Evan Beard of Artsy, a New York City-based online art brokerage. Judy and Patrick Diamond (the Connoisseurs), Cheryse and Christopher Terry (the Enterprising Collectors), Christy and Quincy Lee (the Trophy Hunters), and Nina and James Jackson (the Aesthetes) all illuminate the importance of preserving Black culture through art, history and other forms of memorabilia through their art being displayed at The Vault.
For press around this exhibition, curator Jessica Gaynelle Moss chose to empower each unique collector’s methodology, voice and perspective by uplifting scholar, historian, Black art collector and owner Cheryse Terry of Archive CLT on Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte.
As these historians and preservers of Black art continue to remove barriers to access, redefine Black history and cultivate safe spaces to share these beautiful experiences, it’s important that we also support the movement.
We got deeper insights into the Terry Collection, Cheryse’s lifelong passion for collecting Black memorabilia and creating safe spaces for Black people to co-exist.
Jessica Gaynelle Moss: What made you start a Black art collection?
Cheryse Terry: My mother and I always collected goods from yard sales, thrift stores and antique shops, so I’ve always been fascinated by the fashion, stories and experiences of the people that lived before me. With so many lingering questions about her youth that I didn’t get to ask before she passed, I felt compelled to find out what her youth would have been like. I started collecting vintage magazines showing Black excellence like “Jet,” “Jive,” “Bronze Thrills,” “Negro Digest” and “Ebony” magazine.” Over time, I started a ‘70s collection and began sharing them with others. That’s sort of what birthed Archive CLT, our vintage Black culture, book, coffee and ephemera shop in West Charlotte.
JGM: Why did you choose these specific items from your art collection for The Vault?
CT: I chose these items specifically for the exhibition because they show the beauty and art in everyday Black life that many don’t see, understand or get to experience. Many of these items I’ve collected since my childhood and others are given to me as keepsakes. Afro picks, hundreds of vintage magazines, records, toys, clothing, advertisements and other artifacts. Some of them date back as far as Langston Hughes’ reviews on Maya Angelou’s collection of poems, so it’s a privilege to be trusted with these important moments in history.
JGM: Would you say that Black art serves as a tool for social advancement?
CT: The preservation of Black art brings honor to those who continue to guide us daily, so most definitely, yes. Black history is American history and reminding people of that through Black art, history, culture and conversations requires a duty and responsibility that we’re honored to fulfill.
JGM: Tell us a little more about Archive CLT.
CT: It started off as my thrifting business, Vyntage Dreams, which grew into an intimate online following — and as that began to take form, I opened my online shop, Black Ephemera. I thought about how I could share this with a larger community because thousands of people online were interested in the rare items that I’d collected. From vintage “Jet” and “Ebony” magazines to classic vinyl records — so I got out of my own way.
One day, I was riding through West Charlotte, where I was raised and currently reside, and to my surprise, a Black-owned building I was interested in was still Black-owned, intact and recently redeveloped. With the help of a passionate community behind me, I started a crowdfunding campaign and was able to get 10k in just a few days. Then, investors provided their support, and Archive CLT came to life. We opened on August 27, 2022, and hope to continue to preserve Black culture, ownership and memorabilia. We’ll be having community events, workshops, concerts and an abundance of soulful, uplifting vibes.
The Vault exhibition opens July 1 through September 19 at the Mint Museum Uptown, and the opening reception is July 15 at 1 p.m. The exhibition will have over 500 objects from Black collectors — even artists like Jacob Lawrence and Charlotte’s very own, Romare Bearden. Visit mintmuseum.org to buy tickets and learn more.
THE VAULT HAS BEEN OPENED!!
Below are photos from the “The Vault” exhibit at The Mint Museum Uptown Charlotte.
For more Information: https://www.mintmuseum.org/event/the-vault-opening-celebration/
