When All God’s Children Get Together
Gallery at the Manship Theater
Baton Rouge
Through May 31
“When all God’s Children Get Together, what a time what a time what a time,” as the song by Minister Keith Pringle goes.
When all God’s Children Get Together,” has been given new life by a show of the same name by local artist, Brandon V. Lewis. On display in the gallery at the Manship Theater, it captures the vibe of the music, featuring paintings and multimedia art of people coming together for some of the biggest events in one’s lives.
In some ways, stepping into the gallery space feels like stepping into a church. Lewis’ work features bright panels that feel reminiscent of stained glass. Each piece contributes to the larger mosaic he has created. Lewis places the church community squarely in the center of it. Old church pews have been installed in strategic spots in the gallery. Many of the scenes the art depicts happen inside churches or just outside of them. A solemn funeral procession. An usher supports an older patron bent over playing a piano.
“The figures in my paintings represent God’s children in the truest sense,” Lewis wrote in his artist statement. “They are my people, my neighbors, my ancestors and myself. I aim to capture the rhythm of our lives, the blues that carry our sorrow, and the joy that rises even in the midst of struggle.”
None of Lewis’ figures have faces. But the art tells a story. One series spread throughout the gallery is of five sisters, one of whom has passed away. “Broken Sister Circle” (2022) depicts four women each sitting in a chair. One chair, second from the right, is empty. “Before The Circle Was Broken” (2021) shows five sisters, each with a black hat, white dress and black handbag. “Last Rites” (2026) shows four sisters again, each wearing a black sash against their white dresses which form a cross against their crossed arms.
In keeping with Southern Louisiana’s tradition of holding joy and grief in the same hand, Lewis paints scenes of jazz funerals, joyful widows, elders who just can’t dance or play music the way they used to. Even the paintings that depict sad scenes are filled with color and life; it’s due to this that many of the paintings are ambiguous, not overtly about something happy or sad. But what is apparent is love between these people and the vibrant lives these paintings are just a small glimpse into. Lewis has created a refuge in the upstairs loft of the Manship Theater. It’s worth taking a small detour to see it.
