The 2026 Juneteenth Art Exhibition brings together six artists – three established and three emerging – whose work explores the enduring themes of freedom, justice, and equality.
Across a range of media, they offer distinctive perspectives rooted in both personal experience and collective history.
The artworks celebrate the beauty, resilience, and richness of Black womanhood while also engaging deeply human experiences of loss and grief. They confront the enduring impact of systemic injustice and highlight dance as a powerful expression of connection, cultural continuity, and shared identity.
Together, these works invite reflection and dialogue, fostering a deeper appreciation of the narratives that shape our understanding of freedom, justice, and equality.
Curated by Dr. Grace Hampton
Established artists: Barry King, Irvin Moore, June Ramsay
Emerging artists: Kennedy Ferguson, Helen Velásquez Martinez, Aiysha Watson
Kennedy Ferguson
Bio: Kennedy René Ferguson is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology with minors in Sociology and Art. Raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland, she is deeply committed to community-centered and interdisciplinary practice that enriches cultural ecosystems.
Artist Statement: Ferguson’s work uplifts Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities, envisioning positive change and a more just world grounded in freedom, equality, and peace. The paintings featured in this exhibition are drawn from her SULA and Environmental Portraits series. SULA, inspired by Toni Morrison’s novel and its exploration of Black womanhood and friendship, honors community as a sustaining force. Environmental Portraits, developed during her eco-health study abroad in Tanzania, depicts people of color engaging with their environments through a multidisciplinary lens rooted in ecology, conservation, and human stories.
Barry King
Bio: Local artist Barry King is an award-winning painter whose work has been featured in previous Juneteenth Art Exhibitions. Inspired by personal grief and reflection, his abstract practice explores resilience and unity.
Artist Statement: Through bold color and hard lines, King creates abstract compositions that reflect an intergenerational perspective. Hard edges convey both defiance and hope, as the work bridges past and present.
June Ramsay
Bio: June Ramsay is a multimedia artist based in State College. Formerly the Batik artist for Myths in Pittsburgh, she transitioned to oil painting in 2006 and incorporates acrylic, found objects, impasto techniques, paper, and fabric into her practice.
Artist Statement: Rooted in grief, prayer, and music, this collection reflects both personal loss and collective suffering. In the spirit of Juneteenth, the works bear witness to injustice while calling us toward freedom, justice, and equality. Through layered material and gesture, Ramsay reminds us that healing begins when we listen, remember, and rise together.
Helen Velásquez Martínez
Bio: Helen Velásquez Martínez is a fine arts photographer based in State College. Born and raised in La Guaira, Venezuela, she was shaped by a culturally diverse environment and a family lineage of musicians and educators who fostered her deep appreciation for cultural identity.
Artist Statement: Since moving to the United States in 2021, Velásquez Martínez has embraced the artistic and cultural richness of her new community. Through photography and experimental media, she creates layered narratives that elevate the experiences of Afro-descendant women and explore intersectional identity, celebrating diversity while expanding conversations around representation in fine art photography.
Aiysha Watson
Bio: Aiysha Watson recently graduated from State College Area High School and will attend Penn State in the fall. Her award-winning work has been featured in previous Juneteenth Art Exhibitions.
Artist Statement: Her five-panel digital series, Dancing Through Time, draws inspiration from Jacob Lawrence’s The Great Migration. Through movement and visual rhythm, Watson connects themes of hope, resilience, strength, and justice, highlighting dance as a powerful expression of connection and collective identity within the Black community.
Irvin Moore
Bio: Irvin S. Moore is an undergraduate student at Penn State who began creating art while incarcerated at Graterford Prison, where he served a life sentence beginning in 1969. Art and education became lifelines during his 52 years of incarceration, culminating in the commutation of his sentence in 2021.
Artist Statement: Moore’s work reflects on the enduring impact of slavery and systemic injustice. His art serves as both remembrance and instruction—honoring hidden histories while educating others about the principles and practices necessary to reclaim freedom.
Contact
Grace Hampton
- Professor Emerita of Studio Art, Art Education, Integrative Arts, and African Studies