Finding Meaning in Mountains: Blackalachia
Sumney created “Blackalachia” in the summer of 2020, while seeking refuge from the tumultuous rituals of everyday life in the North Carolina stretch of the Blue Ridge Mountains. While there, he created a work of art that meditates upon non-binary thinking, isolation, emotional contemplation, and historical and cultural Black influence.
The hour-long exploration was born out of Sumney’s desire to reconnect to nature, to his innate impulses. “There is a history of Black people in Appalachia, there is a history of Black music being the foundation of bluegrass and country. There is a history of migration into and out of Appalachia. I’m so deeply invested in a reintegration into nature,” says Sumney.
“Blackalachia” came together in just two days, but the intricacy of the creative piece is not lost due to haste, rather, it proves that Sumney knew exactly what he wanted to do, and how. It just wasn’t until we experienced a large cultural shift in the form of a global pandemic that he decided the time was right. In the peace and quiet of the Appalachian Mountains, Sumney sought to find himself — to dig deeper into what it truly means to be a modern Black artist — and the hope is that through his guidance, others may set out on that same meaningful, spiritual journey.
The film and photo series is on display from February 3rd to March 5th at New York’s Nicola Vassell Gallery.
