Webster’s Dictionary describes nyctophobia as “an irrational or disproportionate fear of night or nighttime darkness.”
However fear is an instinct, not an emotion. This is what the FC collection, also known as The Fletcher Collection, latest exhibit, “Nyctophobia” is about. The direct translation of nyctophobia is “the fear of darkness,” a theme that the exhibit certainly delivers on. Filled with bone-chilling images reflected across several different mediums, such as paintings, sculptures, and tapestries the exhibit does not shy away from all that is dark and spooky.
“’Nyctophobia’ stemmed from our artist studio visits from across these last few years. Apart of us figuring out the collections, is us getting to know the artist’s stories and the messages that they are trying to get across. During that process we really picked up on the theme of fear, which was being approached through multiple different lenses,” said FC Collection founder and “Nyctophobia” curator, Adrian Fletcher.
That statement could not be more factual. Each piece brings a surreal commentary on the current-day conditions or speaks to the history/plight of African-Americans and black people throughout the diaspora.
“What are you really afraid of?” Is the integral question asked by the exhibit. This is accomplished through the showcasing of pieces like “Made in His Image,” an oil and acrylic fabric made by Shannell Clarke showing the juxtaposition between one of the most feared creatures, the water-bound shark, and a peaceful flower-adorned black body looking towards the sky,
“’Made in His Image,’ deals with imagery of land versus sea. The black body deals with the misconception and appearance of the black body around the world where we are looked upon as a weapon and dangerous to our environment. That is so far from the truth, where the shark is seen as a natural predator/natural hunters. Sharks are only aggressive when bothered and that is the same as us, we are only aggressive when bothered. If you look the shark is upside down and when a shark is upside down they become docile and are able to be studied. With the heavenly black body looking towards the sky. This deals directly with the conversion to Christianity. We were given the bible, taught to pray to the sky, and once we looked back to the ground we no longer owned the land. The black body is looking to the sky and blinded to what is going on around it,” said Clarke.
Other fear-invoking images include Timothy Short’s, “The Abyss Beckons,” a frightful name with a frightful depiction, showcasing that not one of the pieces in the exhibit shies away from the dark and scary.
The FC Collective is owned and operated by Adrian Fletcher and Michaela Campbell. The exhibit will run through December 17th and can be located at Atlanta’s Nomadic Gallery located at 5999 New Peachtree Road, Doraville, GA 30340.
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