Black Arts and Culture

Norfolk Aspire Art Gallery Displays Local Shipyard Workers In New Photo Exhibition

The Aspire Art Gallery in Norfolk celebrates Black History Month with a powerful photo exhibition by artist Glen McClure, showcasing the contributions of African-American shipyard workers in Hampton Roads. Running through March 22, the exhibit highlights personal stories through high-quality prints and captions. The gallery also hosts community events, including a mural project and a tribute to WPA workers who built the Norfolk Botanical Garden.

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NORFOLK

The Aspire Art Gallery opened a new exhibition for Black History Month on February 8 featuring a photo display of shipyard workers by Norfolk artist Glen McClure. In line with this year’s Black History Month theme, “African-Americans and Labor,” the exhibition continues through March 22.

Photographer artist Glen McClure began his project of documenting the proud men and women who work in South Hampton Roads, Virginia in the summer of 2014. This exhibition highlights the African-Americans included in that series. These high-quality prints allow these individuals to be appreciated as personalities, shown clearly and sharply with captions that add depth to their stories.

African-American shipyard workers of Hampton Roads who appear in the exhibition are Antonio Banks, Fairlead Boatworks; Alton Branch, Fairlead Boatworks; Ronald Clark, East Coast Repair and Fabrication; Craig Clarke, General Dynamics – NASSCO; Geneva Duffy, B.A.E. Systems; Janeen Hobbs, General Dynamics – NASSCO; Tiras A. Hoyle, B.B.E. Systems; Keith Jarrett, Colonna’s Shipyard; Tyrone Knight, East Coast Repair and Fabrication; Courtney Pool, Colonna’s Shipyard; Faith Scott, Tecnico; Martha Scott-Walker, General Dynamics –NASSCO; James Willis, Colonna’s Shipyard; Yvette Washington, East Coast Repair and Fabrication; and Tracy Washington, Fairlead Boatworks.

On Saturday, February 22, from noon-3 p.m., the Gallery will feature presentations by current and former shipyard workers on their experiences working in the shipyards.

This exhibition closes on Sunday, March 23, 2025 2-5 p.m. with a reception.

The Aspire Art Gallery is a new facility offering Black culture and arts programming in Hampton Roads. It opened recently on the ground floor of Norfolk’s new Aspire Housing complex on the corner of Church Street and Brambleton Avenue, the site of the former Willis Building. Aspire Gallery is under the directorship of Joan L. Rhodes-Copeland, and is open to the public.

On Saturday, March 1, 2025, noon-3 p.m. and Saturday, March 8, 2025, noon-3 p.m., the Gallery is inviting the Community to participate in creating a mural featuring “Wall of African-Americans in Labor.” Participants are asked to bring photos of family/friends in their work environment to add to the mural. The public is invited to work on the “Wall” during weekly gallery hours.

Also at the Gallery on Saturday, February 15, 2025 from 1-3 p.m. is a Tribute to the “WPA- Women and men who built the Norfolk Botanical Garden.”

The speaker for this event is Dr. Martha Williams, author of WPA Original Gardeners.

After hours of collaboration and research, she published the book, WPA Original Gardeners, May 2016. In January 2023, she published First Gardeners for young children. She will be accompanied by Helen Williams, daughter of Mrs. Elizabeth Ferguson, one of the original WPA workers.

ASPIRE ART GALLERY is located at 645 Church Street Norfolk, VA 23510 www.aspireartgallery.org Tel: (757) 373-3293 Gallery Hours Tuesday – Friday 11-5 p.m. Saturdays 11-4 p.m.