Mizzou Black Creatives and Matchbook Marketing collaborated to create Black Alchemy, an empowering event for Black artists to share their work, on April 14. Students and community members gathered in Traditions Plaza to showcase art, music, poetry, clothing and more. 

Mizzou Black Creatives is a club that unites those interested in creating and learning about African American art, and Matchbook Marketing is an MU student-led marketing agency. This was the fifth annual Black Alchemy event. 

“The theme of this year’s show is ‘On the Rise’ to showcase artists on the rise, the phoenix rising and the event being in the spring to show everything rising,” MBC said in an Instagram post.

Second-year student Caroline Schultz, head of public relations of Matchbook Marketing, commented on the motivation behind this theme.

“The intention behind it was to really capture the fact that we’re students and the fact that we’re all learning and growing,” Schultz said. “There are so many young, Black creatives that are very much on the rise and maybe don’t have the exact recognition that they deserve or need.”

MU senior Danielle Hardy is majoring in digital storytelling and minoring in Black studies and art photography. This was her first year participating in Black Alchemy, and she displayed her photography.

“Photography was always a hobby of mine before I made it serious,” Hardy said. 

Hardy did modern contemporary dance for 16 years but decided to go to college for photography instead of a dance institution. 

“I wanted to be creative in a new way,” Hardy said. “I try to pull from a lot of historical themes like the Black experience or racism or colorism — heavy topics like that. But then I also like showing the joy and the levity in being Black.”

Hardy specializes in editorial photography and constructed narrative photography, which focuses on developing a story visually. 

“I’m thankful for the opportunities that Mizzou provides and the creative community here,” Hardy said. 

In addition to Hardy’s photography, other featured artists worked in various mediums, including charcoal drawing, painting, henna and poetry performances. 

“Art is so many different things,” Schultz said. “I think we really try to capitalize on that. Whatever the artists want to bring in and show or talk about or tell, that is completely up to their discretion.”

Edited by Mercy Austin | maustin@themaneater.com

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