Diggs Gallery presents ‘Between the River and the Road’ art exhibition with opening reception Oct. 24

Winston-Salem State University’s Diggs Gallery will present “Between the River and the Road,” an exhibition featuring the work of acclaimed artists Clarence Heyward and Stephen L. Hayes Jr., Oct. 16 through Dec. 12.

Through painting, sculpture and mixed media, the exhibition explores Black life, memory, identity and movement in the American South. Bringing together two artists with distinct approaches and perspectives, the exhibition considers how personal and collective histories shape understandings of family, community and identity.

The public is invited to meet Heyward and Hayes during an opening reception from 3 to 6 p.m. Oct. 24 at Diggs Gallery. The event is free and open to the public.

“‘Between the River and the Road’ reflects exactly what we want Diggs Gallery to be, a place where art opens the door to meaningful conversations about who we are, where we have been and what we carry forward,” said Dianne Pledger, director of Diggs Gallery.

Heyward’s paintings explore cultural identity, media and everyday Black life, often featuring family members as subjects. His work challenges stereotypes and offers an intimate, first-person perspective on Black American experiences. His paintings have been exhibited at institutions including the North Carolina Museum of Art, the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University and the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture.

Hayes, a Durham native and multimedia sculptor, examines race, labor, identity and memory through materials including wood, metal, fabric, paper and sound. His work includes “Boundless,” which honors Black Union soldiers who fought during the Civil War, and the Anson African Burial Memorial in Charleston, South Carolina

The exhibition’s title evokes two powerful symbols of movement and transition. The river represents lineage, migration and memory, while the road symbolizes travel, displacement, labor and survival.

“Between the River and the Road” will be on view Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Diggs Gallery, 335 Rams Lane. Admission is free.