Rhyme, expression, funk, jazz, passion and love.
When these words were put together, they gave life to the “Black and Blues,” the exhibition of art, live jazz and poetry that took place Wednesday on the Set.
The Beta Nu chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the Gamma Alpha chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. hosted the art exhibition.
“The atmosphere is calm and soothing,” said Kimberly Carnage, 18, a freshman business student from Miami. “It’s a nice October night under the stars, the moon and the trees. The sorority and fraternity are both very inviting and friendly.”
The event gave student the chance to perform their poetry and display their original art pieces.
Students who attended the event even had the chance to purchase artwork that captured their attention.
Some of the poetry spoke of love, life and relationships.
Students surrounded the performers and the band while they expressed themselves and spoke their minds.
Some students were even moved to tears while listening to the poetry. The art pieces focused on black child life, sexuality and everyday expressions.
“I think this is great. I work for the Foster Tanner Gallery, and a lot of people don’t know we have a gallery here,” said LaToya Murphy, 21, a senior fine arts student and one of the featured artists. “So it gives the gallery exposure. This is defiantly a step up for FAMU.”
Viewers said the exhibition was a breath of fresh air for the students who appreciate jazz and what it has to offer as a part of African American culture.
There was a live band that put a jazz twist on popular R&B tunes such as T-Pain’s “Dance Floor” and Omarion’s “Entourage.”
Students who enjoyed the arts were drawn to the Black and Blues.
“I like art, especially jazz, so I came to check it out,” said Terrence Dabhins, an 18-year-old freshman business administration student from Fort Lauderdale.
The event was aimed to bring a wave of culture to Florida A&M University and to expose students to something other than the normal hip hop atmosphere of the Set.
The coordinators of Black and Blue were Crystal Finley, 21, a senior African-American studies student and a member of Zeta, and Carey Goins, 22, a senior business administration student and Alpha.
The event also allowed musicians and vocalist to display their talents.
Finley, a musician, was very passionate about the event and that was why she wanted to make it happen.
“As a musician, I know what it’s like to work on a performance for an entire semester and come to the performance and the audience is limited to family and friends,” Finley said. “I wanted to do something that would tie in as many arts as possible.”
The event gave the performers the chance to show their peers the talents they possesses and that they are willing to offer their talents to FAMU.
Both coordinators, as well as their fraternity brothers and sorority sisters, were active throughout the night.
The coordinators had the student’s best interest in mind when planning the event.
“We were trying to provide a cultural event for the campus. We are trying to step outside the box,” Goins said.