FROM MEMORY TO MOVEMENT: EMMETT AT 85 OPENS AT BLANC GALLERY

Top row: Artist Bryant Lamont with Pigment's Patricia Andrews-Keenan, work by Roger Carter, artists Paul Branton, Gerald Griffin and Bryant Lamont, work by Lamont; second row work by Bernard Williams, work by Paul Branton, Faye Edwards of Faiè Afrikan Art with photographer Tonika Johnson, artist Roger Carter; third row Bertha Thomas, Chair of the Board the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley Institute with exhibition curator Raymond A. Thomas, work by Max Sansing, Claudette Roper, Robin Beaman, Patricia Everett and Twyler Jenkins, work by Candace Hunter; fourth row work by Gerald Griffin, work by John Caleb Pendleton, sculpture by Gerald Griffin and Raymond Thomas with his work.

The Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley Institute has mounted From Memory to Movement: Emmett at 85, a powerful group exhibition commemorating what would have been the 85th birthday of Emmett Till. Curated by Raymond A. Thomas, the exhibition opened June 5 and continues through July 25, 2026, at Blanc Gallery.

Featuring painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media works by contemporary Black artists from Chicago and beyond, the exhibition examines themes of memory, resistance, identity, and liberation. Rather than focusing solely on Till's tragic death, the artists explore the fullness of his life, asking viewers to consider who Emmett was as a son, a dreamer, and a young Black boy whose legacy continues to resonate across generations.

In his curatorial statement, Thomas notes that the exhibition is "not merely an act of memorialization, but an urgent collective reflection on a life cut short and the legacy that continues to shape Black memory, identity, and resistance in America." The works on view bridge past and present, confronting grief and injustice while celebrating resilience, courage, and cultural continuity.

The exhibition also honors the enduring legacy of Mamie Till-Mobley, whose decision to publicly reveal the brutality inflicted upon her son became a transformative moment in the American Civil Rights Movement. Together, the artists present a compelling vision of remembrance as action, demonstrating how Emmett Till's story continues to inspire movements for justice, truth, and liberation today.

Admission is free. Blanc Gallery is located at 4445 S. Martin Luther King Drive in Chicago. Visitors can reserve tickets and learn more through the exhibition's Eventbrite registration page.