Press Release: "Bright Tomorrows Out of Dark Yesterdays" Art Exhibition Opening

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Marfa, TX, August 29, 2025

Curtis Bordenave’s Charcoal Drawings Explore Aesthetics of Liberation.

MARFA, TX – Mesa Pictures is proud to present Bright Tomorrows Out of Dark Yesterdays (B.T.O.O.D.Y), a solo exhibition by Creole artist Curtis Bordenave, on view from September 12 to November 14, 2025. This striking collection of 40 charcoal drawings on paper explores the aesthetics of liberation, drawing inspiration from the symbolic and emotional depth of Egyptian hieroglyphs and historical narratives of escape.

Each drawing, which the artist calls ‘BayouGlyphs’, is crafted through a process that is linked to memory and repetition. The work in B.T.O.O.Y presents a singular image of an enslaved person fleeing with a bindle—a dual symbol embodying both the pursuit of emancipation and the stark reality of "wanted" posters. This exhibition creates an expressive space where past and present converge, offering a meditation on freedom, survival, and self-determination.

“As a Creole artist, I recognize my roots and I live to carry my history with me,” says Curtis Bordenave. “The use of this symbol in my work is a way of processing this dark past, but also gives me a chance to honor my ancestors and the people who fought for freedom.”