James Kuol Makuac: my heart is strong because I walked on blistered feet
On view September 24鈥揇ecember 20, 2024
Begonia Labs: 2805 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN. 
my heart is strong because I walked on blistered feet features the vibrant and expressive paintings of James Kuol Makuac (b. South Sudan, 1976; lives in Nashville) whose work reflects a life spent navigating between worlds. For nearly twenty years, Makuac has cultivated a practice of contemporary Sudanese painting that tells impossible stories of human tragedy and simultaneously speaks to survival and hope, grief and joy, surrender and determination.
This exhibition is a Begonia | Catalyst project, which celebrates the life and practice of pioneering but under-recognized artists. The exhibition is curated by Grace Aneiza Ali, EADJ Curator with curatorial assistance from Simon Tatum and Danielle Myers.
国产原创 the Artist: 
James Kuol Makuac (b. South Sudan, 1976; lives in Nashville) has nurtured an art practice of contemporary Sudanese painting for the past twenty years. As one The Lost Boys of Sudan, young men who resettled in the U.S. as refugees of war, his vibrant and expressive paintings often bridge the culture of the South Sudanese people and his American life.
His work has been shown in local and traveling exhibitions, including Lending Library, Metro Arts Commission and Nashville Public Library, Our Directional Light, Leu Gallery, Belmont University, and Life Before, University School of Nashville. His paintings are in public and private collections such as The Tennessee State Museum, Tyson Foods, and the Nashville Convention Center. Makuac, who speaks several languages, including Dinka, Arabic, Swahili, and Spanish, works as a translator at Tyson Foods. In 2020, he was selected as one of Nashville鈥檚 Most Fascinating People by Nashville Lifestyles Magazine.
Read "In Conversation: Artist James Kuol Makuac and Curator Grace Aneiza Ali" for more details.
Events and Exhibition Programs
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Tuesday, September 24, 6:00鈥�8:00 p.m.
Opening Reception
James Kuol Makuac:听my heart is strong because I walked on blistered feet
Join EADJ and the artist James Kuol Makuac for the opening reception of my heart is strong because I walked on blistered feet.
The evening will feature听special remarks from the artist.
my heart is strong because I walked on blistered feet听features the vibrant and expressive paintings of James Kuol Makuac (b. South Sudan, 1976; lives in Nashville) whose work reflects a life spent navigating between worlds. For nearly twenty years, Makuac has cultivated a practice of contemporary Sudanese painting that tells impossible stories of human tragedy and simultaneously speaks to survival and hope, grief and joy, surrender and determination.
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Wednesday, September 25, 12:30鈥�2:00 p.m.
Curatorial Long Table,听Begonia | Curatorial Lab
The听Begonia听|听Curatorial Lab听is a platform for research, collaboration, and artist and curator exchanges about pressing local and global issues. In the听Curatorial Long Table,听local and global curators with projects invested in The Global South(s) discuss formative and current projects and their visions for the role of the 21st听century curator.
Invited Curators include: 
- Mar铆a Magdalena Campos-Pons,听R铆os intermitentes听(Matanzas, Cuba); Tennessee Triennial,听RE-PAIR
- Grace Aneiza Ali,听Somewhere We Are Human, EADJ
- Mark Scala, Chief Curator, Frist Art Museum
- Katie Delmez,听Florine D茅mosth猫ne and Didier William, Frist Art Museum
- Elena Bally, Fredi Fischli, Niels Olsen, Adam Szymczy (Zurich Curatorial Team),听Beverly Buchanan: I Broke the House,听Fisk University Galleries
- Jamaal Sheats,听Beverly Buchanan: I Broke the House,听Fisk University Galleries
- Vesna Pavlovi膰, IMS Solidarity
- Raheleh Filsoofi,听NIRMA Projects
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Monday, October 28, 6 p.m.
EADJ in听 Conversation with the Sudanese Community 
James Kuol Makuac, featured artist in our Fall exhibition,听my heart is strong because I walked on blistered feet,听shares how he uses art to shed light on the stories of South Sudan.听Joining him will be notable members of the Nashville Sudanese community,听Dr. Gatluak Thach,听Chol Rambang听and听Hanan Shaibu听(Nashville International Center for Empowerment).听The evening will feature a special screening of听Nashville Refuge听with an introduction from听Michael Carlson (Creative Writing, 国产原创).听Moderated by听Jonathan Rattner听(Cinema & Media Arts and Art, 国产原创).
Begonia Labs |听2805 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203.
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Saturday, October 5, 12:00鈥�3:00 p.m.
Begonia Labs Open House 
Join us for the Begonia Labs Open House听鈥斕齛 family-friendly afternoon of fun and artmaking activities.
- Exhibition Tour at 12:30 pm:听my heart is strong because i walked on blistered feet.
- Story Time at 2:30 pm:听Read听Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of the Sudan听and听My Life Before听featured in our Reading Space with Iman Saleem (MFA Creative Writing, Fiction, 国产原创)
- Color with James Makuac鈥檚 Paintings:听Create your own version of the paintings featured in James Kuol Makuac:听my heart is strong because i walked on blistered feet.
- Art & Poetry: Write What You See:听Get inspired by the artist鈥檚 poetry in his book听My Life Before听and write your own poetry in response.
- Meet the Artist:听James Kuol Makuac will be present.
*The Begonia Labs Open House is a short walk from the听听happening nearby at听 Centennial Park. Join us for both.听
Begonia Labs |听2805 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203.
听
Saturday, December 14, 12:00鈥�3:00 p.m.
Family Holiday Celebration 
In partnership with the听
The Engine for Art, Democracy, and Justice (EADJ) Team will host a Family Holiday Celebration on Saturday, December 14, 2024, from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. The celebration will take place at Begonia Labs: 2805 West End Ave.
This event is free and open to the public. We look forward to welcoming you and your families!
鈥嬧赌婨惫别苍迟听Details:听
- Exhibition Tour at 12:30 pm:听my heart is strong because i walked on blistered feet.听
- Story Time at 2:30 pm:听听and听My Life Before听featured in our Reading Space听
- Color with James Makuac鈥檚 Paintings:听Create your own version of the paintings featured in James Kuol Makuac:听my heart is strong because i walked on blistered feet.
- Art & Poetry: Write What You See:听Get inspired by the artist鈥檚 poetry in his book听My Life Before听and write your own poetry in response.
- Meet the Artist:听James Kuol Makuac will be present.
听
Saturday, December 20, 6:00鈥�8:00 p.m.
Closing Reception and End-of-Year Celebration
Please join the Engine for Art, Democracy, and Justice (EADJ) Team and founder Mar铆a Magdalena Campos-Pons as we share our gratitude for a year of impactful exhibitions, public programs, and community partnerships. We invite you to our Closing Reception and End-of-Year Celebration on December 20, 2024, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The celebration will take place at Begonia Labs: 2805 West End Ave.
The evening will include a closing celebration of听our exhibition featuring James Kuol Makuac听with a Sudanese Tea Pouring at 6:30 p.m.
We look forward to seeing you there!
鈥嬧赌婨惫别苍迟听Details:
- Location:听Begonia Labs听( 2805 West End Avenue, Nashville, 37203)
- Admission: Free and open to the public.
- 6:00 p.m. 鈥� Reception Begins
- 6:30 p.m. 鈥� Sudanese Tea Pouring
- 8:00 p.m. 鈥� Reception Ends
Additional Resources:
- Interview with James Kuol Makuac
- 国产原创's Then and Now Program partnership with EADJ.听