Spelman College Exhibition Transforms Painful History into Powerful Art
Atlanta’s Spelman College is currently hosting a profoundly moving art exhibition titled “Repossessions,” which invites Black artists to transform painful artifacts from the eras of Slavery and Jim Crow into powerful works of modern art. This unique project offers a critical opportunity for reflection on American history, directly confronting its “ugly and foundational part” as stated by Dr. Liz Andrews, Executive Director of the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art.
A Powerful Reckoning in Atlanta
The exhibition, running through April at the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, is a collaborative effort and part of the broader “Reparations Project.” This initiative brings together white families grappling with their ancestral ties to slaveholding, donating historical items for artistic reinterpretation. Published by Ashley Simmons on November 03, 2025, this exhibition serves as a vital dialogue for the Atlanta community and beyond, pushing boundaries on how history is remembered and engaged with today.
Artifacts Reclaimed and Reimagined
“Repossessions” features a collection of artifacts, each holding a somber weight of the past. These include Confederate money, historical plantation maps, and a leather ledger chillingly itemizing enslaved people alongside their monetary value. These donated objects are then given to Black artists, who imbue them with new meaning and context through their transformative art. Dr. Andrews highlights this process: “The idea is to take documents that come from white families’ personal archives and then give them to Black artists to transform them into art objects.” One particularly poignant piece involves aged shackles that, when touched, play a song, offering a haunting auditory reminder of the human cost of slavery.
Connecting Past to Present
Visitors to “Repossessions” have experienced profound reactions. CiCi Kelley, a visitor, described her response as “visceral,” particularly in relation to the Confederate money and the ledger that reduced human bodies to mere transactions. The exhibition’s message resonates deeply with current debates surrounding historical memory and education. Dr. Andrews emphasizes that these transformed objects are not static monuments, but rather “objects transforming the past and hopefully transforming the future,” encouraging a dynamic and critical engagement with history.
Key Exhibition Details at a Glance
Understanding the unique nature of “Repossessions” involves looking at the origins of its powerful exhibits:
| Original Artifact Type | Historical Context | Artistic Reinterpretation Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Confederate Money | Currency of the Confederate States, symbolizing a secessionist and slave-based economy. | Challenging notions of economic value, wealth, and systemic injustice rooted in slavery. |
| Plantation Maps | Geographic records detailing land ownership, often including enslaved populations as assets. | Examining control, territory, the mapping of human lives, and dispossession. |
| Leather Ledger | Account books meticulously listing enslaved individuals, their ages, and market values. | Highlighting the dehumanization, commodification, and economic brutalism of the slave trade. |
| Aged Shackles | Physical instruments of restraint and torture used to control enslaved people. | Evoking the brutal realities of physical bondage, suffering, and the resilience of the human spirit. |
Frequently Asked Questions About “Repossessions”
- What is “Repossessions”?
It is an art exhibition at the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art where Black artists transform historical artifacts from the Slavery and Jim Crow eras. - Who are the artists involved?
Black artists were invited to reinterpret and transform artifacts donated by white families with ancestral ties to slaveholders. - What kind of artifacts are on display?
The exhibition includes items such as Confederate money, plantation maps, ledgers listing enslaved people’s values, and aged shackles. - How long can I see the exhibition?
“Repossessions” is on display at the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art through April. - What is the “Reparations Project” mentioned?
The Reparations Project is a collaborative effort involving white families who are engaging with and confronting their legacies as descendants of slaveholders.
This thought-provoking exhibition at Spelman College offers Atlanta locals a crucial opportunity to engage with history not as a distant past, but as a living narrative, urging critical reflection and fostering transformative dialogue for the future.
Spelman art transforms painful history into power
