(MUSIC PLAYING) - THE HUMAN SPIRIT IS STILL ALIVE.

- SHE WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD.

AND YOU DAMN WELL BET SHE DID.

- WE ARE NOW RECOGNIZED.

OUR ART IS RECOGNIZED.

- WE ARE ABUNDANT, VERY GIFTED, VERY TALENTED, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT EMBODIED THAT .

- ONE SMUDGE, AND YOU'RE HOOKED.

(MUSIC PLAYING) - MY OLDEST BROTHER WAS AN ARTIST, THE ONE BELOW ME WAS AN ARTIST.

MY OLDEST BROTHER WAS MY MENTOR.

HE WAS MY IDOL.

HE'S THE ONE THAT MADE ME UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE TO DO MORE THAN ONE THING IN ART.

WE USED TO SIT ON THE COUCH AND PAINT.

I WOULD SIT ON THE ARM OF THE CHAIR , AND FOR AS LONG AS HE WAS THERE WORKING, I WAS ON THE ARM OF THE CHAIR, OBSERVING.

IN THE FOURTH GRADE, WE WERE MAKING SOME DINOSAURS OUT OF CLAY, AND I MADE A TYRANNOSAURUS OUT OF CLAY .

WHEN I GOT DONE WITH IT, JUST BEFORE IT WAS GETTING READY TO GET FIRED, THE TEACHER CAME OVER AND SHE SAYS...

I HAD PUT THE EYES IN THE SIDE OF THE TYRANNOSAURUS, LIKE IT IS, SHE SAYS, "IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY EYES, " AND SHE PAINTED SOME EYES ON THE FOREHEAD.

AND THAT GOT FIRED.

WHEN I'M TAKING IT HOME, I HAVE IT IN THIS SHOEBOX.

AFTER IT'S DONE, I'M REALLY UPSET THAT THIS TYRANNOSAURUS, EVEN AT MY AGE, LOOKS LIKE A CARTOON DINOSAUR.

AND I'M TRYING TO BE REAL.

WE ONLY LIVED, LIKE, FIVE BLOCKS FROM THE SCHOOL, SO I'M WALKING DOWN 37TH AVENUE, GOING TO OUR HOUSE.

I GUESS HE'S ON HIS WAY TO WORK, HE HAS HIS LUNCHBOX AND STUFF.

AND HE'S COMING OUT.

I HAVE MY SHOEBOX, AND HE SAYS, "HEY, FLOYD, WHAT YOU GOT THERE?"

"A DINOSAUR."

HE SAYS, "WELL, LET ME SEE IT."

AND I TAKE THE DINOSAUR OUT OF THE BOX, AND I JUST THROW IT AGAINST THE CURB, SHATTER IT IN ALL KINDS OF PIECES BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO SEE THAT THAT DINOSAUR LOOKED LIKE A CARTOON, BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO DISAPPOINT HIM.

DAD HAD TWO JOBS.

MY MOM WORKED FOR TWO DOCTORS, TAKING CARE OF THEIR HOUSE AND THEIR CHILDREN, WHEN SHE WAS TAKING CARE OF US, TOO.

THEY WERE ALWAYS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ALL OF US.

MY MOTHER WAS--SHE DRUG ME AROUND DENVER IN THE SUMMERS, TRYING TO GET ME INTO AN ART PROGRAM, BECAUSE I TOLD HER I WANTED TO GO TO LEARN SOME ART.

AND THEN, WE ALWAYS ENDED UP AT THOSE LITTLE DENVER PUBLIC ART PROGRAMS THAT WERE CRAFTS.

THEY WERE MAKING POPSICLE-STICK THINGS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

AND THAT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME.

SHE WAS ALWAYS SO DISAPPOINTED THAT SHE COULDN'T FIND AN ACTUAL PLACE OF TEACHING ME HOW TO DRAW AND PAINT AND STUFF, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WANTED.

AND I KNEW AT THAT PARTICULAR AGE, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED.

(MUSIC PLAYING) AND MY YOUNGEST BROTHER, HE WAS PROBABLY THE MOST GIFTED OF ALL OF US IN DRAWING AND PAINTING AND SO FORTH.

BUT HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR A CAREER.

THE PROGENITOR OF "HEARTS AND MINDS" REALLY STARTED AFTER THE SHOOTING OF MY BROTHER BY THE POLICE IN CITY PARK IN DENVER IN 1974.

HE HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED AS A SCHIZOPHRENIC, AND SO HE HAD MENTAL ILLNESS.

AND MANY TIMES, I WOULD GO TO DENVER TO MAKE SURE HE WAS ON HIS MEDS.

AND PRIOR TO THE SHOOTING, I WAS GETTING READY TO BRING HIM DOWN TO COLORADO SPRINGS BECAUSE HE WAS AN ARTIST, ALSO.

AND I WAS GOING TO TEACH HIM HOW TO OIL PAINT.

AND WE NEVER HAD THAT--WE NEVER MADE THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE OF THE SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED IN CITY PARK.

AFTER THAT, WITH THE REPERCUSSIONS OF HOW IT AFFECTED MY FAMILY AND THE COMMUNITY THAT I GREW UP IN IN DENVER, STARTED REALLY CONCENTRATING ON ENDANGERMENT.

"HEARTS AND MINDS" IS HOPEFULLY THAT YOUR MIND AND YOUR HEART ARE IN CONJUNCTION TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND TO, HOPEFULLY, BE ABLE TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE ENDANGERMENT OF BEING IN THIS SOCIETY AS A YOUNG, BLACK MALE.

- AS YOU MOVE INTO THE SPACE, YOU ARE CONFRONTED WITH FLOYD'S MONUMENTAL INSTALLATION, "HEARTS AND MINDS, " WHICH THE ARTIST PRODUCED BETWEEN 1993 AND 1995, AND VERY KINDLY GAVE TO THE FINE ARTS CENTER IN 2020.

IT'S A WORK THAT IS SO SUBSTANTIAL IN SCALE WE DON'T OFTEN HAVE THE CHANCE TO SHOW IT.

AND WE WANT TO HAVE THIS FOCUSED OPPORTUNITY TO BOTH PRESENT THE WORK, CELEBRATE THE GENEROSITY OF THE ARTIST IN GIVING IT TO THE MUSEUM, AND POSITION IT AS A CATALYST TO INSPIRE DIALOG WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

THERE ARE CREATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT ARE PART OF THIS PROJECT BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT PARTNERS WHO ARE ALL IN SOME WAY RESPONDING TO, OR WHOSE WORK WAS CATALYZED BY, FLOYD'S "HEARTS AND MINDS."

WE HAVE WORK IN THE SHOW PRODUCED BY COLORADO COLLEGE STUDENTS, WORK IN THE SHOW PRODUCED BY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM D ELEVEN.

WORK PRODUCED AND COLLABORATIVE WORK CALLED ENDANGERED, PRODUCED BY A GROUP OF ARTISTS WHO HAD BEEN WORKING WITH FLOYD OVER THE YEARS.

FLOYD'S WORK IS CENTRAL TO THE EXPERIENCE.

- AND THE CONCEPT OF HAVING STUDENTS CONTRIBUTE FROM THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH HEART TO MINDS AND THE WORK THAT THEY'VE PUT IN THE GALLERY , WHICH IS JUST REALLY--I JUST THINK THAT'S JUST A WONDERFUL CONCEPT, AND IT'S FABULOUS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO INCLUDE THE YOUTH.

- I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT KIND OF ENCAPSULATED HOW I LOOK AT THE WORLD AND HOW I THINK A LOT OF THOSE THINGS ARE JUST INTERTWINED AND AREN'T NECESSARILY DISCONNECTED FROM EACH OTHER.

AND IT JUST MAKES SOMETHING FOR PEOPLE TO JUST ENJOY.

FOR MYSELF, THE EXPERIENCES THAT I'VE HAD IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN UP AND DOWN.

STICKING THROUGH WITH THINGS, BEING RESILIENT, COLLECTING THINGS, MAKING USE OF THE THINGS THAT ARE AROUND YOU, CAN MAKE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THINGS EVER.

A PERSON CAN READ THIS IN SO MANY WAYS.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE DOUBLE CONSCIOUSNESS.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT DUALITY.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT RESILIENCE, GENERATIONAL TRAUMA, GENERATIONAL CURSES, ABUNDANCE, WEALTH, ALL THAT STUFF.

AND IT'S JUST LIKE, NO, LITERALLY, WE ARE ABUNDANT, VERY GIFTED, VERY TALENTED.

AND I WANTED TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT EMBODIED THAT.

- THIS SECTION IN HERE WAS THE FIRST SECTION THAT I DID.

AND I REMEMBER THAT WAS ON DISPLAY AT THE ROBISCHON GALLERY IN DENVER WHEN I FIRST DID IT.

AND LOOKING AT IT IN THE GALLERY, AFTERWARDS, I REALIZED THAT I FELT LIKE I HAD MORE TO SAY ABOUT THE SUBJECT.

I FELT LIKE I COULD SAY MORE ABOUT THE SUBJECT.

IT WAS OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS OF ACCUMULATION THAT IT ENDED UP BEING THIS.

YOU REALIZE THAT YOU JUST HAVEN'T CONVEYED EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO CONVEY.

THIS COULD STILL GROW.

SADLY, THIS IS STILL RELEVANT.

I COULD STILL ADD MORE PARTS TO IT.

WHAT'S GOING ON IN SOCIETY IN RELATIONSHIP TO THIS HAS NOT COME TO AN END.

IT MAKES IT TOO RELEVANT.

(MUSIC PLAYING) - I THINK ABOUT ALICIA AND ALL THE ART THAT SHE'S PUT OUT THERE AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SHE'S TOUCHED.

AND FOR US, BEING ARTISTS, THAT'S WHAT SHE WAS ABOUT.

SO, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE A TRIBUTE.

AND I THINK THAT WAS HONOR TO BE PART OF THE SHOW AND TO BE PART OF HER LIFE.

I'M CAL DURAN.

I AM A NATIVE OF COLORADO.

BUT I AM AN ARTIST, MOSTLY WORKING WITH CLAY.

I LOVE CLAY.

IT IS FROM THE EARTH.

IT IS ALL ELEMENTS OF THE EARTH.

I KNEW ALICIA VERY WELL.

SHE WAS JUST A BLESSING, AND ALWAYS HAD MY BACK, AND WAS REALLY INTO LGBTQ, AND REALLY JUST FOUGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE, AND JUST STOOD UP.

- SHE WAS A WARRIOR, FOR SURE.

SHE WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD.

AND YOU DAMN WELL BET SHE DID.

IT WASN'T UNTIL AFTER HER DEATH THAT I REALIZED WHAT FAR REACH SHE HAD ALL OVER THE WORLD.

I KNEW A LOT OF WHAT SHE DID.

SHE TRAVELED A LOT .

MY NAME IS ALFREDO CARDENAS.

I AM AN ARTIST.

I'VE BEEN AN ARTIST MOST OF MY LIFE.

THE PIECE BEHIND ME IS A PORTRAIT OF MY DAUGHTER.

SHE GAVE ME A PHOTOGRAPH OF HER.

I'M GUESSING IT MUST HAVE BEEN 12 OR SO YEARS AGO.

AND I LIKE THE COMPOSITION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH, SO I DECIDED TO DO A PASTEL OF HER.

SHE WAS VERY MUCH A CHICANA.

SHE WAS VERY PROUD OF THAT.

AND SHE WAS VERY MUCH AN ARTIST.

EVERYBODY RESPECTED HER BECAUSE SHE WAS A VERY HONEST PERSON.

AND SHE WALKED THE WALK.

SHE DIDN'T ONLY TALK THE TALK.

SHE WALKED THE WALK.

AND I KNEW THAT FROM THE TIME SHE WAS VERY, VERY YOUNG.

- I WORKED WITH ALICIA.

SHE HELPED CURATE THREE SHOWS FOR CHAC.

AND THEY WERE A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE YOUNGER ARTISTS AND THE SEASONED ARTISTS.

SHE HELPED BRING THOSE TOGETHER FOR US.

AND ALSO, WE'VE BROUGHT IN SOME NEW MEMBERSHIP THROUGH ALICIA, AS WELL.

SHE HAS A WALL ON THE ENTRANCE HERE, AND WE'RE TRYING TO LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT HER.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PAINTINGS THAT SHE WAS A PART OF AND COLLABORATED WITH.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT SHE WAS A PROGRESSIVE ARTIST AND PERSON, VERY STRONG WOMAN.

- I THINK THAT THE OUTPOURING FROM THE COMMUNITY IS JUST AMAZING, ESPECIALLY IN THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THIS ART SHOW.

I'M JUST SO IMPRESSED WITH ALL THE GREAT ARTISTS THAT ARE SHOWN HERE.

RATHER SURPRISED.

I THINK SHE'D BE REAL THRILLED TO SEE IT.

IT'S A GOOD TRIBUTE TO HER .

OVERWHELMING, ABSOLUTELY.

I'VE BEEN OVERWHELMED SINCE HER DEATH.

I HOPE THAT SHE SPOKE HER IDEAS TO ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT THEY WILL CARRY ON.

IF SHE COULD HAVE INFLUENCED THOSE PEOPLE JUST A LITTLE BIT TO WORK TOWARDS HER GOALS, I THINK SHE'D BE PLEASED THAT THAT WAS HER LEGACY, THAT SHE LEFT THE WORLD--SHE SHOOK PEOPLE UP.

AND I THINK IF PEOPLE LISTEN TO THAT, THAT'S HER LEGACY.

I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE GOOD FOR US AND HER FAMILY, MY FAMILY, TO GIVE IT A LITTLE MORE CLOSURE.

SHE CAUSED SUCH A STIR ALL OVER THE WORLD THAT IT KIND OF KEPT US ON THE EDGE OF OUR SEATS.

AND NOW I'M READY TO QUIET DOWN AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PHASE.

AND I THINK THIS SHOW IS GOING TO HELP DO THAT.

(MUSIC PLAYING) - THE WORD "CHICANO" ITSELF IS ACKNOWLEDGING OUR INDIGENOUS ROOTS.

THE ROOT WORD FOR "CHICANO" IS "MESHICANO, " THAT COMES FROM THE BASE WORD FOR MEXICO, THE MESHICA.

THE AZTECS WERE THE MESHICA.

AND MEXICO BECAME THE MESHICO, AND THE MEXICANOS WERE CALLED MESHICANOS.

AND SO, THE WORD "CHICANO" IS JUST AN ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THAT WORD, "MESHICANO."

- THIS EXHIBITION, IT'S A REPRESENTATION OF CHICANO, MEXICAN-AMERICAN, AND MEXICANO ARTISTS WHO CALL COLORADO HOME.

THIS COLLECTION DATES BACK 40 YEARS TO THE 70S.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THIS EXHIBITION HERE IN PUEBLO BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE ARTISTS HAVE THEIR ORIGINS IN PUEBLO OR IN THE SAN LUIS VALLEY.

HECHO EN COLORADO IS AN EXHIBITION COMPOSED OF APPROXIMATELY 40 DIFFERENT ARTISTS WHO CALL COLORADO HOME, WHETHER THEY WERE BORN HERE OR NOT.

- MY NAME IS JUAN ESPINOZA.

AND I'M A PHOTOJOURNALIST FOR THE CHICANO MOVEMENT.

I'M A COLORADO NATIVE.

AND I BECAME A PHOTOGRAPHER ALMOST BY ACCIDENT.

I WAS IN VIETNAM IN 1968 IN A POKER GAME.

AND THE LAST HAND, THE GUY SAYS, "WILL YOU ACCEPT THIS CAMERA AS MY BET?"

HE SAYS, "I'M OUT OF MONEY, BUT I'LL PUT MY CAMERA IN."

AND I WON THE POT.

AND THAT'S HOW I STARTED PHOTOGRAPHY.

THAT'S HOW I STARTED AS A PHOTOJOURNALIST.

GOT ME TO BOULDER, ANYWAY.

AND THAT'S ABOUT THE ERA THAT--THE PICTURES THAT ARE EXHIBITED IN DIFFERENT PLACES ARE FROM THAT ERA, FROM ABOUT 1970 THROUGH ABOUT 1980.

- MY NAME IS CARLOS SANDOVAL.

I GREW UP IN PUEBLO, BUT I'M ORIGINALLY FROM SAN LUIS, COLORADO, THE OLDEST TOWN IN COLORADO.

I'VE BEEN A PAINTER EVER SINCE I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD.

I'M A SPIRITUALIST IN MANY WAYS.

BUT MOST OF ALL, I PAINT CONTEMPORARY SOUTHWEST ART.

I HAVE MANY STYLES OF PAINTINGS THAT I'VE GONE THROUGH.

I KIND OF SEE MYSELF LIKE WHAT PICASSO WENT TO, NOT WANTING TO BE IN TRADITIONAL ART ALL HIS LIFE, BUT WANTING TO MOVE ON TO DIFFERENT STYLES.

FOR EXAMPLE, THIS ONE RIGHT HERE WAS TAKEN ON MARCH 17, 1974.

IT WAS ONE YEAR AFTER THE DENVER POLICE DEPARTMENT RAIDED THE CRUSADE FOR JUSTICE.

AND THIS WAS A MARCH IN SUPPORT OF THE CRUSADE FOR JUSTICE.

THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN IN 1973, WHEN THE AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT TOOK OVER WOUNDED KNEE.

WE HAD A MARCH AND A PROTEST AT THE FEDERAL BUILDING IN DENVER IN SUPPORT OF THE INDIOS THAT WERE IN WOUNDED KNEE.

AND THAT'S WHEN THESE PICTURES WERE TAKEN.

THESE ARE MEMBERS OF THE BROWN BURETS.

I THINK THEY CALL THEMSELVES BLACK BURETS.

AND THE STORY I HEARD IS THAT WHEN THEY WENT TO BUY BURETS AT THE ARMY SURPLUS, THEY COULDN'T FIND BROWN BURETS, SO THEY BOUGHT BLACK BURETS.

AND THEY STARTED THE BLACK BURETS.

BUT THEY'RE THE BROWN BURETS.

- PUEBLO WAS ONE OF THE CENTERS FOR THE EL MOVIMIENTO, THE CHICANO CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT HERE IN COLORADO AND IN THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF THE CHICANOS AND MEXICANOS IN THE UNITED STATES.

- THIS WHOLE CONCEPT OF HECHO EN COLORADO IS SO COOL.

WE ARE NOW RECOGNIZED.

OUR ART IS RECOGNIZED.

OUR CULTURE IS RECOG--PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS LIKED OUR FOOD, AND THEY'VE ALWAYS LIKED OUR MUSIC.

- YEAH, I THINK THAT THIS EXHIBITION WILL REALLY BRING A LOT OF PRIDE OUT IN THE PEOPLE OF PUEBLO.

AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OLDER GENERATIONS SHARING THEIR HISTORY AND THEIR CULTURE WITH THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS SO THAT THESE TRADITIONS AND THESE HISTORIES ARE CARRIED FORTH.

(MUSIC PLAYING) - WHO IS STEVE LUCERO?

GOOD QUESTION.

STEVON WAS HUGELY KNOWN IN DENVER.

I WOULD SAY THE BIG ARTIST, THE CONSTANT ARTIST, THE ONE WHO WOULD PAINT EVERY SINGLE DAY, THE ONE WHO WOULD GO BIG.

HE HAD IDEAS CONSTANTLY.

MY NAME IS ARLETTE LUCERO.

WE BOUNCED OFF OF EACH OTHER A LOT.

IT WAS PRETTY INTENSE.

HE HAD HIS PORTALS OPEN.

AND HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SHUT THEM OFF.

HE CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA OF CHAC, CHICANO HUMANITIES AND ARTS COUNCIL.

WE THREW AN ART SHOW TOGETHER.

AND WE HAD STORYTELLERS.

WE HAD POETS.

WE HAD THE ART ALL SET UP.

AND THE COMMUNITY JUST CAME OUT IN DROVES.

THIS IS METAREALISM, A LOT OF THIS THAT YOU SEE.

HE ALSO DID NEO-PRECOLUMBIAN ART.

METAREALISM IS EXTERNALIZATION OF INTERIOR REALITIES.

HE WAS A DEVOUT CHRISTIAN, CATHOLIC.

AND THAT CATHOLICISM PART OF HIS CHRISTIANITY CAME LATER IN LIFE.

IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE HE WAS ALWAYS SEEKING, SEEKING, SEEKING.

AND HE WOULD GO INTO ALL THE RELIGIONS AND EXPLORE THEM.

HE WANTED PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THINGS IN A MORE SPIRITUALLY-MINDED WAY.

I LOOK AT THE ART, I GUESS, AS THIS IS A PART OF HIM.

THIS IS A PART OF HIS BUSINESS.

IT'S A PART OF OUR BUSINESS.

AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE CAN SHOW IT TO THE WORLD, OR AT LEAST TO THIS PART OF THE WORLD.

IT'S HIS PHOTOGRAPHS THAT GET ME AND CAUSE ME TO ... LIKE, MAYBE YELL AT HIM AND SAY, "WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?"

OR JUST HAVE A GOOD CRY, WHATEVER.

[CLEARS THROAT] SORRY.

HE WAS WORKING HIS WAY TO SAINTHOOD BECAUSE HE WAS SUCH A HUMBLE MAN.

HE LOVED THINGS VERY SIMPLY.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU LOSE A GREAT ARTIST.

AND WE HAVE LOST QUITE A FEW REALLY GREAT ARTISTS LATELY.

- HI, MY NAME IS ROCHELLE JOHNSON.

I'M A VISUAL ARTIST, LIVING IN DENVER.

PAINTING CAN BE MEDITATIVE.

I GREW UP IN PARK HILL, HAD TIES TO THE FIVE POINTS NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT I AM DEFINITELY A DENVER NATIVE.

ALL THESE PIECES ARE BASED ON ME IN SOME RESPECT.

I DESCRIBE MY ART AS CONTEMPORARY ART.

I BELIEVE I'M A CONTEMPORARY OIL PAINTER.

I USE OILS.

I FIND THEM TO BE MORE SEDUCTIVE AS A MEDIUM.

THIS IS A LITTLE WARMER GREEN.

I'M AT REDLINE IN THEIR RESIDENCY PROGRAM.

WE'RE IN MY STUDIO.

IT IS DEFINITELY CHALLENGING ME AND PUSHING ME TO HIGHER STANDARDS FOR MYSELF IN MY ART.

IT'S NOT A FLAT COLOR.

MY FIGURES ARE BLACK WOMEN.

MY WORK CENTERS AROUND BLACKNESS.

I'M HOPING MY PAINTINGS REFLECT THE IDEA OF HOPE.

THEY ARE UNIQUE TO ME BECAUSE THEY TALK ABOUT MY JOURNEY.

AS I GO ON THIS JOURNEY, I FIND THAT EVEN COMING OUT OF A PANDEMIC, THE HUMAN SPIRIT IS STILL ALIVE.

THIS WAS DONE IN 2020, WHERE I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT, LIKE MOST OF US, TRYING TO... SEE WHERE WE WERE GOING TO GO .

2020 WAS A HARD YEAR FOR ME, THE PANDEMIC, BEING SHELTERED IN PLACE, THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD, AND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT.

MOVING INTO 2021 AFFECTED ME DEEPLY.

I ACTUALLY DID A PIECE ABOUT IT.

THIS BIG PIECE BEHIND ME TALKS ABOUT THAT JOURNEY, HOW I WAS LAYING DOWN, HAD TO MOTIVATE MYSELF TO CONTINUE ON.

I WAS CONTEMPLATING EVERYTHING, MY PLACE IN THE WORLD, MY PLACE IN THE STATE, AND HOW BLACK BODIES ARE CONSTANTLY BEING MARGINALIZED OR HARMED IN SOME WAY.

IT'S CALLED "CONTEMPLATION."

BEING A BLACK ARTIST, I THINK THAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE LESS FOR US.

HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD STOP YOU FROM CREATING AND BEING A CREATIVE.

I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU'RE DOING YOUR PASSION'S WORK, THEN THE UNIVERSE WILL LOOK AT YOU OR FIND YOU, AND YOU WILL BE RECOGNIZED.

THIS TIME RIGHT NOW, THERE IS A BLACK RENAISSANCE, SO IT'S TIME FOR US TO GET ON BOARD AND TO LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD.

- I LOVE WORDS.

I JUST LOVE THE WAY THEY SOUND AND BOUNCE AND INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER.

IT FEELS LIKE MUSIC TO ME.

I WANT TO BE ABLE TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO TOUCH WORDS AND FEEL THEM, FOR THEM TO BE VERY TANGIBLE.

MY NAME IS KERRIE JOY, AND I AM THE CREATIVE-IN-RESIDENCE AT THE DENVER ART MUSEUM.

I'M ALSO A POET.

WE SPEAK TO THE STONES, AND THEY LISTEN.

WE CALL THE EARTH WITH FIRE TO PROVIDE THE MOST DELICATE INCENSE AND THE STRONGEST PROTECTIONS.

ONE SMUDGE AND YOU'RE HOOKED.

ONE CONVERSATION WITH THE EARTH AND YOUR ANCESTORS COME KNOCKING, QUENCHING YOUR SENSE WITH MEMORIES THAT TELL YOU THAT YOU'RE HOME.

I WAS BORN IN BROOKLYN, MOSTLY RAISED UPSTATE, A PLACE CALLED NEWBURGH, NEW YORK.

MY BROTHER MOVED TO DENVER, COLORADO ABOUT SIX MONTHS BEFORE I DID.

I JUST CAME TO CHECK IT OUT, AND REALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE ARTIST COMMUNITY OUT HERE.

THE STORIES WHISPER PAST US LIKE A COOL EMBRACE, LIKE OUR CHILDREN REMINDING US OF OUR GREAT-GRANDMOTHERS, THE ONES WHO TAUGHT US TO SPEAK TO THE STONES AND TO FOLLOW THE BIRDS AND TO FIGHT FOR WHAT IS SACRED AND WHAT IS SURE.

WE HAVE BUILT OTHER PEOPLE'S EMPIRES, BEARING WITNESS TO OUR HISTORIES BEING AUCTIONED, HISTORIES BOUGHT IN BLOOD, STORIES PAID FOR WITH THE HUMAN SACRIFICE OF THOSE THAT REMEMBERED THEIR DEITY.

I'VE DEFINITELY BEEN AN ARTIST MY WHOLE LIFE.

I'VE BEEN WRITING SINCE I WAS A CHILD.

I FEEL LIKE GROWING UP, I DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE ALL OF THE OUTLETS THAT I WANTED TO EXPRESS MYSELF.

SO, MY JOURNAL REALLY BECAME MY BEST FRIEND.

I GREW UP IN A REALLY LEGALISTIC HOUSEHOLD, VERY CHRISTIAN-CENTERED HOUSEHOLD.

AND SO, THE MAIN BOOK THAT I READ WAS THE KING JAMES VERSION BIBLE.

I THINK THAT THAT REALLY SHINES THROUGH IN THE WAY I SPEAK.

THAT'S JUST HOW I SHOW UP NOW.

YEAH.

I DON'T PRACTICE THE SAME FAITH THAT I DID GROWING UP, THOUGH.

I HONESTLY FEEL LIKE I WAS IN A VERY TOXIC ENVIRONMENT.

[SIGHS] I FEEL LIKE I DISCARDED MYSELF AT A YOUNG AGE.

LIKE, YEAH.

I FEEL LIKE...

GROWING UP, THERE WASN'T ROOM FOR ME TO BE ME.

AND SO, I THREW MYSELF AWAY.

AND I FELT LIKE I DESERVED IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WAS TAUGHT.

IT'S TAKEN A REALLY LONG TIME TO REGAIN MY SELF-WORTH AND...

REGAIN THIS IDEA OF WHO I KNOW I'VE ALWAYS BEEN, AND GIVE MYSELF THE PERMISSION TO SHOW UP AS SUCH WITHOUT ANY APOLOGIES.

LISTEN TO THE UNIVERSE, WHO WILL REMIND YOU OF WHO YOU ARE AND OF WHAT YOU DESERVE.

AND THAT RESPECT, THAT MIGHT BE EARNED, BUT FREEDOM, THAT'S TAKEN.

IT IS THE HOLY TONGUE, OUR FIRST COMMUNION.

IT IS DEATH AND LIFE.

IT IS THE SECRET THAT BUILT THE TOWER OF BABEL AND THE WONDERS OF THE WORLD.

SACRED TEMPLES AND MIRACULOUS BIRTHS OF LEADERS AND WARRIORS RETURNED TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION, TO CARRY THE TORCH, TO FIGHT THE POWER.

PRAYER WARRIORS AND PROPHETS, HEALERS AND SEERS, REBELS, BRUJAS, AND AIR-BENDERS, GODS.

NOW I'M AT THIS PLACE WHERE I'M RECOGNIZING THE HEALING WORK THAT I AM DOING, AND I'M RECOGNIZING THAT I'M REALLY LIVING THAT DREAM THAT SIX-YEAR-OLD ME KNEW A VERY LONG TIME AGO.

JUST IMAGINE WITH ME.

I SEE THE PEOPLE.

I SEE THE SETUP.

I SEE A LITTLE BAND HERE.

I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THAT.

THIS TYPE OF ART DESERVES THIS SPACE, AS WELL.

I WANT TO CREATE SOME SOUNDSCAPING THROUGHOUT THE MUSEUM.

IT'S A REALLY BEAUTIFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR ARTISTS THAT ARE ON THEIR WAY UP TO ENGAGE WITH THE EXISTING EXHIBITIONS HERE, BUT ALSO FIND REALLY CREATIVE WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY.

COLLABORATION, CONNECTIVITY, SOLIDARITY, THOSE ARE JUST--THAT'S WHO I AM.

I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IN EVERYTHING THAT I DO.

WE EMERGE WARRIORS, RULERS, GODDESSES, AND HIGH PRIESTS, TAUGHT TO SPEAK TO THE STONES.

AND THEY LISTEN.

(MUSIC PLAYING)