The Before We Knew Better art exhibition brings together the work of Lamar Whidbee and Chris Facey to reflect on joy, memory and the experiences that shape us early in life. The exhibition looks to childhood as a place of imagination, play and connection. Rather than seeing nostalgia as a way to escape the present, the exhibition considers how memories of joy can remind us of what still matters. Whidbee and Facey ask what we carry with us from those early years and how those experiences continue to influence our well-being, relationships and sense of self. At a time when conversations around mental health are increasingly important, the exhibition offers space to pause, reflect and reconnect with the moments that first taught us about joy. 

The exhibition will be available for viewing in the art gallery at the African American Cultural Center on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. between Aug. 17 and Sept. 25. Whidbee and Facey will discuss the exhibition during an artist talk event that will be held in the center's art gallery at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 2.