The Art of Sydnei SmithJordan

The Light with Raymond Tyler

“Death Or Liberty”

A Solo Exhibition By Sydnei SmithJordan

Currently on display until August 30th at The Ocean City Arts Center

1735 Simpson Avenue, 2nd floor, Ocean City, NJ

This month make plans to see a moving new solo exhibit in oil, sweat and perhaps tears from Sydnei SmithJordan. SmithJordan brings her eye and brush to a theme that at first glance may seem to be “slavery.” However, once you truly examine and explore SmithJordan’s collective group of paintings you will see the theme is “Liberty.”

This solo exhibition comes from the brush of Sydnei SmithJordan who has been painting for approximately 30 years. The paintings on display at The Ocean City Arts Center represent 8 months of expression on the theme of what freedom cost people like Harriet Tubman.

In fact the title of the exhibit “Death or Liberty” comes from a quote from the great American freedom fighter, Harriet Tubman. “There are two things I’ve got a right to, and are DEATH and LIBERTY. One or the other I mean to have.”

Seen as a whole group of paintings collected in The Ocean City Arts Center gallery, the message and the urgency of “freedom …of “LIBERTY” bleeds through every stroke of Sydnei SmithJordan’s revealing brush. SmithJordan brings to the canvas the story of moving from enslaved to liberated. Her brush captures the people involved in the liberation of people of color in a way that is beautifully if not hauntingly life-like.

Separately SmithJordan displays one masterpiece after another on the walls of The Ocean City Art Center. Seen altogether, the artist takes us through an oil painting journey from 1690 when slavery began, through her recreation of auction posters, to the dailey toil and torment of American slavery, to the freedom runs led by Harriet Tubman, to today and the film “Harriet” with actress Cynthia Erivo as Harriet Tubman.

SmithJordan’s exhibit has a graphic novel feel as each painting frames an important moment in American history. SmithJordan’s “Death or Liberty” successfully unites a 3 way marriage between a mastery of oil painting, a dynamic eye for storytelling and the ability to present a bitter history. I do not see “Death or Liberty” as another re-telling of slavery…I see this exhibit as an artist revealing in fresh new details why “Freedom ain’t free.” It is well worth the time to take your family, your church, your camp or social group to The Ocean City Arts Center and view and discuss the messages conveyed through Sydnei SmithJordan’s exhibition…”Death or Liberty.”

You can connect with Raymond Tyler via Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram @RaymondTyler2018.

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