We're halfway through Black History Month, and if you've ever wondered about the nature of this particular tradition you can find it at "28 Days: Reimagining Black History Month," an exhibit jointly presented at Justina M. Barnicke Gallery and Georgia Scherman Projects.

Curated by Pamela Edmonds and Sally Frater, the exhibit brings together the work of 18 Canadian, American and British artists, using different mediums — including (to name only a few) photography, sculpture and video — to explore black identity, black history and the contentious opinions surrounding the traditional month-long celebration.

From the exhibition notes:

"Some artists refuse to show their work during Black History Month exhibitions as a political stance against the marginalization of their practices, others feel it is one of few opportunities they have to participate in the broader cultural landscape, particularly with work that addresses issues of Black identity and visual culture."

Despite the polarized opinions about the month-long celebration (or really because of them), the work presented in 28 Days is a thought-provoking examination of identity and the questions surrounding black culture in North America in the 21st century.

PHOTOS

28 Days runs until Feb. 19 at Justina M. Barnicke Gallery and Feb. 29 at Georgia Scherman Projects.

Photos by Morris Lum