Flint's Lovett closes out Emerging Artist experience with immersive exhibition at Riverbank Arts

"There's this duality of family, people you see every day that you might think you know, but you don't truly understand until you're older, but also people that are just photographs and who you learn about through the stories your family tells you." So says Keyon Lovett, the 2023-24 Emerging Artist who is closing out his tenure with the exhibition, "Visible," at Riverbank Arts. 

"My father passed away when I was just a baby, so a lot of his story and his family's history were murky to me," said Lovett. "My work for this exhibition, 'Visible,' dives into making those connections between story, history and the real person, and is dedicated to my brother and best friend, Benjamin Philip Etherly, my sons Sela Yeremiyah and Gabar Obadiyah, and my amazingly committed wife, Tanasia Lovett."

One of the central pieces of Lovett's exhibition is the "Lovett's BAR-B-Q" sign from the Flint restaurant that his father's family ran from the mid-1970s until shortly after his father's murder in the mid-1990s. "I was a toddler when it closed, so I didn't have any memories of it, but when I went to take the sign down to use in this exhibition, one of the neighbors came out and told me how it had been kind of a de facto community center, that if her kids were running around and playing, she knew that Mrs. Lovett would keep an eye on them, and they were safe," he said. 

"I also found connections between my best friend's family and my father's family; my family likely started the restaurant after my father learned about the business working at the restaurant owned by my best friend's family. And we discovered a rivalry; both families were running numbers and stuff like that, so yeah, there were many interesting finds as part of this journey."

While Lovett's work addresses these aspects of his family history, he also examines the dualities in his identity. Taking on the stereotype of the "meathead" athlete who can't express himself, Lovett shares his experiences playing football while simultaneously developing his artistic practice and vision. 

One of the most striking pieces in his collection is "456: A Reflection on Fatherhood," which Lovett debuted at the 2024 ArtPrize in Grand Rapids. "When my wife and I moved back to Flint, she was pregnant, and I started to think about fatherhood and legacy—the thoughts were heavy, and they were coming in droves. Some of it was morbid, worried that I might follow in my father's footsteps and not be there for my kids," Lovett said. "So I came up with this idea to start writing these letters to him, and there are 456 of them talking about my feelings about becoming a father, questions I had, my worries, everything. It was my way of processing that experience but also the grief of not having him around growing up."

The letters cover the wall of a shipping container, and Lovett worked with his cousins to bring it to life. "We spent a lot of time finding the right furniture, wall paint, even the same smells that we could remember, to create that sense of place and time," said Lovett.

Lovett's strength of vision stood out for Benjamin Gaydos, associate professor and program coordinator for art and art history, and the faculty advisor for the Riverbank Arts Emerging Artist program. "When we were selecting the artist for this cycle, we were all impressed by Keyon because he was very clear about the work he wanted to create and the story he wanted to tell, and so it made it super easy to support his development over the past year," Gaydos said. "He's also committed to building the arts community in Flint and was instrumental in the summer camp at the Sylvester Broome Empowerment Village in August. All three artists who participated in our Emerging Artist program spent time working with the kids, which was a wonderful experience."

In addition to his printmaking workshop during the summer camp, Lovett led students from the Flint Cultural Center Academy High School on a private tour of "Visible," followed by a meaningful Q&A session. "Providing opportunities like these helps show aspiring artists potential pathways to pursue the work of being a professional artist—with access to many of the resources the University of Michigan-Flint offers," said William Langford, program manager at Riverbank Arts. "'Visible' is autobiographical, yet it tells a story that resonates deeply with many: of holding close to family, friends, and home—and the ways we can lose, regain and reclaim them all."

For gallery assistant Nalani Duarte, working with Lovett to curate and install his exhibition expanded her experience collaborating with artists. "A lot of curators have experience with fine artists, but not all fine artists have experience with the curation and installation process involved with creating an exhibition," said Duarte, who graduated from UM-Flint in 2023 with a master's degree in arts administration. "What was phenomenal about working with Keyon was that he brought his vision, and I brought my training. We created something strong and impactful together that tells a deeply intimate, complex story."

Lovett's next move is to show at Art Basel and keep developing his reputation as a working artist. He's also working on a couple of children's books with his wife and wants to expand his work as a mentor. "I'd love to be a guide to anyone who wants to be an artist but doesn't know how to make that jump from posting your stuff on Instagram to getting it on someone's walls," he said.

"Flint has phenomenal artists, and I'd love to inspire more of them to take their art seriously to that next level. I feel like the gatekeeping, the lack of information, the opacity—it's all designed to keep people out of being working artists, and it's ridiculous. So I want to change that, to show other artists how to get their work out there. Put Flint back on the map." 

Lovett's exhibition is on display at Riverbank Arts through Dec 13. Learn more about him and his work on his website, theartschooldropout.studio, or on Instagram at @__theartschooldropout__.