Laylah Amatullah Barrayn - In The Press


Laylah Amatullah Barrayn (with the She Shootin' Photography Collective) in Trace Magazine, Fall 2007



Laylah Amatullah Barrayn profiled in the May 2006 issue of Upscale Magazine

Laylah Amatullah Barrayn profiled in Caribbean Life Newspaper.



Laylah Amatullah Barrayn profiled in the May 2006 issue of Upscale Magazine


Laylah Amatullah Barrayn profiled in Caribbean Life Newspaper.
FORGIVE? Curated by Laylah Amatullah Barrayn - 9/9/07

(Redemption Tunes by Miles Bumbray)
FORGIVE?
Contemplating the notion of forgiveness through depictions of ideas, moments and faith.
Curated by Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
Opening Reception: Sunday, September 9, 2007, 3-6pm
Featuring the work of:
MALAIKA ADERO
MILES BUMBRAY
BARRON CLAIBORNE
DELPHINE FAWUNDU-BUFORD
FRANCES FAWUNDU
CACY FORGENIE
DELPHINE FAWUNDU-BUFORD
FRANCES FAWUNDU
CACY FORGENIE
D. LAMMIE HANSON
AIMEE LEE
DIANA MCCLURE
ALICE MIZRACHI
GABRIEL RUEDA PACHECO
MIRIAM ROMAIS
KEISHA SCARVILLE
JAMEL SHABAZZ
DANNY SIMMONS
JAVAKA STEPTOE
Exhibition On View: September 9 - October 13, 2007
The Gallery at Harriet's Alter Ego
293 Flatbush Avenue between St. Marks Pl. and Prospect Pl.
Brooklyn, New York
(718) 783-2074
www.HarrietsAlterEgoOnline.com
Directions:
2, 3 to Bergen Street; Q, B to 7th Avenue; 41 Bus to Flatbush and St. Marks Place
Contact: Laylah@HarrietsAlterEgoOnline.com
AIMEE LEE
DIANA MCCLURE
ALICE MIZRACHI
GABRIEL RUEDA PACHECO
MIRIAM ROMAIS
KEISHA SCARVILLE
JAMEL SHABAZZ
DANNY SIMMONS
JAVAKA STEPTOE
Exhibition On View: September 9 - October 13, 2007
The Gallery at Harriet's Alter Ego
293 Flatbush Avenue between St. Marks Pl. and Prospect Pl.
Brooklyn, New York
(718) 783-2074
www.HarrietsAlterEgoOnline.com
Directions:
2, 3 to Bergen Street; Q, B to 7th Avenue; 41 Bus to Flatbush and St. Marks Place
Contact: Laylah@HarrietsAlterEgoOnline.com
Exhibit: The Art of Truth and Activism


"The Art of T&A… Truth and Activism"
A multi-disciplinary, cutting edge international group exhibition that highlights women's visual voice through the aesthetic lens of Hip-Hop culture.
Curated by DeAnna Cummings and Assistant Curator Michelle Spaise
Exhibit Dates: June 21 - September 9, 2007
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 28, 2007, 6 - 9:30pm
Intermedia Arts Main Gallery 2822 Lyndale Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55408 (612) 871-4444 - http://www.intermediaarts.org
Featuring installations by Joy E. A. Spika (Chicago) and Lady Pink (New York)
...and featuring visual art by
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn (Brooklyn, New York) - That's me!!!
B Fresh (Minneapolis),
B-Girl Yoda (Kahuku, Hawaii),
Keina Davis Elswick (San Francisco),
Erotica 67 (New York),
Faith47 (Capetown, South Africa),
Femme9 (Kansas City),
Krista Franklin (Chicago),
Gitana (Puerto Rico),
Julie Graves (Minneapolis),
INDIE 184 (New York),
Indigo (Minneapolis),
Monica R. Kelly (Savannah, Georgia),
Lauri Lyons (Harlem, New York),
Diana McClure (New York),
Alice Mizrachi (New York),
motel7 (Capetown, South Africa),
Niz (Florida),
Jill Rothenberger (Minneapolis),
Rukus (Minneapolis),
smirk (Gallen, Switzerland),
Stacey Flyjawn Wilson (Philadelphia),
Stef Skills (Chicago),
Toofly (New York),
Sarah White (Minneapolis),
Keegan Xavi (Los Angeles)
Intermedia Arts is a multidisciplinary arts center, a gathering place where we can share stories through visual arts, theater, dance, music, literature--from folk arts to hip-hop culture.
"The Art of T&A… Truth and Activism" is being held in conjunction with the 3rd Annual B-Girl Be: A Celebration of Women in Hip-Hop, a multimedia festival encompassing the four elements of hip-hop: MCing, DJing, breakdancing, graffiti—and more. The mission of B-Girl Be is to influence and inspire leadership to change the perceptions and roles of women in hip-hop for current and future generations. This annual event is a place to make connections, build confidence, sharpen skills and gain access to the tools to create music, film, poetry, rap, aerosol art and dance. For more information please visit http://www.intermediaarts.org/Pages/Programs/b-girl_be/
Generous funding provided by The Ford Foundation, The Mall of America Foundation, Fredrikson & Byron, National Performance Network, Red Bull and Sun Country Airlines. This project is made possible in part by a grant from the National Performance Network’s Performance Residency Program. Major contributors of the National Performance Network include the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ford Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency), Altria and the Nathan Cummings Foundation.
For more information: www.npnweb.org.
Save The Date: A Drum Beats in Brooklyn - February 15, 2007, 5:30pm

Untitled, Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
A Drum Beats in Brooklyn offers a panoramic view of traditions such as J’ouvert, Drummers Grove, Tribute to the Ancestors of the Middle Passage among others and show how they are uniquely Brooklyn. From the intimate gesture to the grand declaration, the She Shootin’ Photography Collective document these celebrations that bring spectator and performer together and highlight the timeless magic of the drum.
Curators
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn, Delphine Fawundu-Buford, Ava Griffiths, Kerika Fields and Nsenga Knight
Opening Reception
February, 15, 2007, 5:30
Exhibition Dates
February 14 - May 13, 2007
Brooklyn Historical Society
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
www.BrooklynHistory.org
ANNEX EXHIBITION
Brooklyn Public Library - Central Branch @ Grand Army Plaza
February 13 - April 13, 2007
Exhibitions
Upcoming Exhibitions
A Drum Beats in Brooklyn: A Photography Exhibition Celebrating the Drum-Based and African Influenced Traditions of Brooklyn - Opening February 15, 2007, 5:30pm
Current Exhibitions
3rd Wave: The Planet of Brooklyn Transitions, BAC Gallery, Until January 14, 2007
Recent Exhibitions
*The Shootout: Reverberating the Spirit of Jack T. Franklin
African American Museum in Philadelphia, until Noverber 19, 2006
2006
*She Shootin!, The Gallery at Harriets Alter Ego, August - September 2006
Connections to the Diaspora, Dancers Gallery, August 2006
Neighborhood Divas, Corridor Gallery, April 2006
A Tribute to Gordon, Le Dakar, April 2006
Square Foot Show, Art Gotham Gallery, March 2006
Black and Tan Fantasy, Calabar Imports, February 2006
Every Picture Tells a Story, Museum of Contemporary Art, DC, January 2006
2005
ARRC Benefit, Corridor Gallery, December 2005
Ressurections, Latin Collector Gallery, October 2005
MX80, Brecht Forum Gallery, September 2005
2004
The Salon Show, PCOG Gallery, March 2004
Voices in Black Photography, NYC City Hall, February 2004
A Drum Beats in Brooklyn: A Photography Exhibition Celebrating the Drum-Based and African Influenced Traditions of Brooklyn - Opening February 15, 2007, 5:30pm
Current Exhibitions
3rd Wave: The Planet of Brooklyn Transitions, BAC Gallery, Until January 14, 2007
Recent Exhibitions
*The Shootout: Reverberating the Spirit of Jack T. Franklin
African American Museum in Philadelphia, until Noverber 19, 2006
2006
*She Shootin!, The Gallery at Harriets Alter Ego, August - September 2006
Connections to the Diaspora, Dancers Gallery, August 2006
Neighborhood Divas, Corridor Gallery, April 2006
A Tribute to Gordon, Le Dakar, April 2006
Square Foot Show, Art Gotham Gallery, March 2006
Black and Tan Fantasy, Calabar Imports, February 2006
Every Picture Tells a Story, Museum of Contemporary Art, DC, January 2006
2005
ARRC Benefit, Corridor Gallery, December 2005
Ressurections, Latin Collector Gallery, October 2005
MX80, Brecht Forum Gallery, September 2005
2004
The Salon Show, PCOG Gallery, March 2004
Voices in Black Photography, NYC City Hall, February 2004
Bio
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn is a self-taught photographer. She received her first official assignment in 1997 to shoot the Million Woman March, she was 17 years old. Since then, her images has been published and exhibited in several NYC galleries. She recently exhibited at Latin Collector Gallery, Museum of Contemporary Art in DC and is currently exhibited at Danny Simmons' Corridor Gallery. Laylah has been selected as one of the young photographers to participate in 'The Shootout' exhibition honoring civil rights photographer Jack T. Franklin at the African American Museum in Philadelphia this August. Her photography has been included in the photo-anthology, BLACK: A Celebration of a Culture, co-published by the Smithsonian and edited by Dr. Deborah Willis and has been privately collected by art enthusiasts and collectors. Laylah is also co-editing, with Delphine Fawundu-Buford, an anthology of Black women photographers.
Although she enjoys the art of photography, her first love is essay writing and creative non-fiction. As a writer, she has been on assignment in Africa, Asia and the Carribean covering jazz and the arts. Her journalism has appeared in Vibe, The Source, America, Complex, Essence and other publications. Last year the Jazz Journalism Association awarded her the Atkins Fellowship for jazz journalism. Her essay Moving On was included in the anthology My Soul to His Spirit. She has studied at New York University and Universitie Cheikh Anta Diop, Senegal, West Africa.
Laylah began her career in the arts as a dancer. For years she studied many dance disciplines and techniques, including Pointe and Dunham, with dance anthropologist Dr. Joan Burroughs and Jean Destine, founder of the Haitian National Dance Company.
Laylah is a native New Yorker residing in Brooklyn.
Next Exhibition: 3rd Wave: The Planet of Brooklyn Transitions
3rd Wave: The Planet of Brooklyn Transitions
October 13, 2006 - January 12, 2007
An exhibition presenting a visual analysis of the effect immigration, migration and gentrification has had on New York's most populous borough.

Curated by Phillip Harvey, Editor/Founder of Natcreole.com
RECEPTION: Friday, October 13, 6 – 8pm
OPEN HOUSE: Saturday, October 14, 1 – 5 pm
Featuring the works of:
Scott Andresen
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
Betty Alexandra Bastidas
Steven Bornholtz
Martin Brecht
Delphine Fawandu-Buford
Samantha Casolari
Linn Edwards
Cacy Forgenie
Lucy Fradkin
G Grippo
Akintola Hanif
Jayson Keeling
Nsenga Knight
Youme Landowne
Erica McDonald
Ocean Morrisett
Lori Nelson
One9
David Pham
Joan B Reutershan
Misty Rice
Tom Russotti
Hidemi Sato
Rachel Wells
Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC) Gallery
111 Front Street, Suite 218
Brooklyn, New York 11201
http://www.brooklynartscouncil.org/
A '3rd Wave' of new Brooklyn residents, which follows two previous large-scale influxes of immigration into Brooklyn, has resulted in a unique mix of traditions, cultures and perspectives on life that characterize the borough today. 3rd Wave: The Planet of Brooklyn Transitions captures this shift in Brooklyn's ever-changing history through the eyes of 25 artists, working across two dimensional forms. These Brooklyn-based artists contribute works that create a mosaic of images and themes, each representing a dimension that makes up the culture of present day Brooklyn.
By visually translating the effect that immigration, migration,miscegenation and gentrification are having on the cultural, social and economic make-up of "the planet of Brooklyn," the artists of 3rd Wave provide a visual entrée into a world where cultures intersect across national, racial and social boundaries and form a unique and vibrant community.
ABOUT THE CURATOR
Philip Harvey is the editor of nat creole, an online monthly magazine ( www.natcreole.com) dedicated to offering an entertaining yet informed perspective on the literature, politics, art and music of contemporary global culture. With a focus on broadening the conversation on the arts and their role in an increasingly inter-connected world, nat creole provides an ideal forum for the exchange of ideas, beliefs and forms of cultural expression.
------------------------
Founded in 1966, the Brooklyn Arts Council, Inc. (BAC) is a service organization dedicated to helping artists, arts organizations and community groups promote and sustain the arts. BAC is unique in the borough in that it assists artists – both amateur and professional – in all disciplines. Major areas of service include BAC's Community Arts Regrant Program, Professional Development Seminars for the Arts, Arts in Education, BAC Folk Arts, the Printmaker's Portfolio Project, the BAC International Film and Video Festival and BAC Gallery. Council programs are made possible, in part, with public funds and major corporate, foundation and individual support.
October 13, 2006 - January 12, 2007
An exhibition presenting a visual analysis of the effect immigration, migration and gentrification has had on New York's most populous borough.

Curated by Phillip Harvey, Editor/Founder of Natcreole.com
RECEPTION: Friday, October 13, 6 – 8pm
OPEN HOUSE: Saturday, October 14, 1 – 5 pm
Featuring the works of:
Scott Andresen
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
Betty Alexandra Bastidas
Steven Bornholtz
Martin Brecht
Delphine Fawandu-Buford
Samantha Casolari
Linn Edwards
Cacy Forgenie
Lucy Fradkin
G Grippo
Akintola Hanif
Jayson Keeling
Nsenga Knight
Youme Landowne
Erica McDonald
Ocean Morrisett
Lori Nelson
One9
David Pham
Joan B Reutershan
Misty Rice
Tom Russotti
Hidemi Sato
Rachel Wells
Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC) Gallery
111 Front Street, Suite 218
Brooklyn, New York 11201
http://www.brooklynartscouncil.org/
A '3rd Wave' of new Brooklyn residents, which follows two previous large-scale influxes of immigration into Brooklyn, has resulted in a unique mix of traditions, cultures and perspectives on life that characterize the borough today. 3rd Wave: The Planet of Brooklyn Transitions captures this shift in Brooklyn's ever-changing history through the eyes of 25 artists, working across two dimensional forms. These Brooklyn-based artists contribute works that create a mosaic of images and themes, each representing a dimension that makes up the culture of present day Brooklyn.
By visually translating the effect that immigration, migration,miscegenation and gentrification are having on the cultural, social and economic make-up of "the planet of Brooklyn," the artists of 3rd Wave provide a visual entrée into a world where cultures intersect across national, racial and social boundaries and form a unique and vibrant community.
ABOUT THE CURATOR
Philip Harvey is the editor of nat creole, an online monthly magazine ( www.natcreole.com) dedicated to offering an entertaining yet informed perspective on the literature, politics, art and music of contemporary global culture. With a focus on broadening the conversation on the arts and their role in an increasingly inter-connected world, nat creole provides an ideal forum for the exchange of ideas, beliefs and forms of cultural expression.
------------------------
Founded in 1966, the Brooklyn Arts Council, Inc. (BAC) is a service organization dedicated to helping artists, arts organizations and community groups promote and sustain the arts. BAC is unique in the borough in that it assists artists – both amateur and professional – in all disciplines. Major areas of service include BAC's Community Arts Regrant Program, Professional Development Seminars for the Arts, Arts in Education, BAC Folk Arts, the Printmaker's Portfolio Project, the BAC International Film and Video Festival and BAC Gallery. Council programs are made possible, in part, with public funds and major corporate, foundation and individual support.
She Shootin Closing Reception September 8!

The Gallery @ Harriet's Alter Ego is pleased to announce the extension of the critically acclaimed exhibition
She Shootin'! Aw, Made You Look...
Works by Six Women Photographers
http://sheshootin.blogspot.com
Please join us at the closing reception
Friday, September 8, 2006, 6-8pm
Featuring photography by:
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn * Delphine Fawundu-Buford * Kerika Fields
Ava Griffiths * Karen Jackson * Nsenga Knight
with a special performance by Sparlha Swa!
You've heard her music on the hit TV show Girlfriends. You've seen her perform at Brooklyn Academy of Music. You've seen her 'Doing My Thing" video on BETJ. Sparlha Swa will preform tracks from her latest CD entitled In The Distance.
http://www.myspace.com/sparlhaswa
Light dinner fare will be served!
***Also, please visit the She Shootin blog to view the News 12 Coverage of the opening reception. http://sheshootin.blogspot.com
The Gallery @ Harriet's Alter Ego
293 Flatbush Ave
Brooklyn, New York 11217
(718) 783-2074
http://www.harrietsalteregoonline.com
http://www.myspace.com/harrietsalterego
2/3 Subway to Bergen Street
Q/B Subway to 7th Ave
Shootout: Reverberating the Spirit and Legacy of Jack T. Franklin

Shootout: Reverberating the Spirit and Legacy of Jack T. Franklin
Photography by 14 of the East Coast's hottest emerging photographers
Opening Reception: August 11, 2006 5:30-8:00 pm
On View: August 11 through November 19, 2006
The African American Museum in Philadelphia
701 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Featuring the work of :
Betty Alexandra
Phil Asbury
Maria Atubiga
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
Sarah Glover
Ayana Jackson
Jati Lindsay
Simba Madziva
Michelle Perez
Hannan Saleh
Uraline Septembre
Jamel Shabazz
Sarah Smith
Marissa Weekes
Curated by: Shantrelle P. Lewis
Fourteen young photographers were charged with capturing the world around
them during an eight week period of Summer 2006. Energized by the
courageous and brilliant photographic work of Jack T. Franklin, Shootout
proclaims the significance of contemporary history-making through the lens
and spirits of a revolutionary generation of artists of African descent. The
exhibition recognizes the significance of documenting the extraordinary and
simplistic stories of the African Diaspora in the 21st century.
New Exhibit! She Shootin'! Aw, Made You Look...

She Shootin'! Aw, Made You Look...
Works by Six Women Photographers
Opening Reception: August 6, 2006, 4-7pm
Works on View: July 29 - August 26, 2006
The Lineup:
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
Delphine Fawundu-Buford
Kerika Fields
Ava Griffiths
Karen Jackson
Nsenga Knight
The Gallery @ Harriet's Alter Ego
293 Flatbush Ave
Brooklyn, New York 11217
(718) 783-2074
http://www.harrietsalteregoonline.com
http://www.myspace.com/harrietsalterego
Six of Brooklyn's emerging women photographers invite
us into their worlds through glimpses into their
growing bodies of work. From candid portraiture to
guerrilla documentary and street photography, the
images included in She Shootin' marks personal
stations of these women's photographic journeys.
The women of She Shootin' have varied approaches and
histories with the medium of photography:
Nsenga Knight studied filmmaking at Howard University;
her intimate photographs focuses primarily on
documenting the African American Muslim and Caribbean
experiences of New York. Her work was exhibited in the
prestigious Small Works Exhibition this year and is
currently exhibited at Chelsea's Art Gotham Gallery.
Delphine Fawundu-Buford has been composing since the
early 90s; influenced by greats like Lorna Simpson and
Roy DeCarava, her photography has focused on hip hop
and women. She has been exhibited at the Brooklyn
Museum of Art and International Center of Photography.
Kerika Fields is a contributing writer and
photographer for the New York Amsterdam News, through
event photography she has been able to build a
impressive collection of candid portraiture.
Ava Griffiths approach to street photography is
cinematic and reminiscent of a detailed novel, her
series of elders is a warm tribute to these sages of
Brooklyn.
London-native and jewelry designer, Karen Jackson
fashions her photography with detail and grace just as
she assembles her jewelry for her company, Ambiguous
Art Jewelry.
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn is both an essayist and
photographer, focusing on international travel and
jazz. She is one of the photographers included in the
Shootout exhibition in honor of Jack T. Franklin this
August at the African-American Museum in Philadelphia.
Inspired by myriad themes, She Shootin' are offerings
in frames that are exposures of these women's souls.
The DIVA Exhibition - You're Invited!

Danny Simmons presents...
"Neighborhood Divas"
April 23 to May 27, 2006
OPENING RECEPTION: Sunday, April 23, 2006, 3-7pm
Forty-something (that's the number, not the age) influential women artists of Brooklyn let loose their views in Corridor Gallery. Expect the unexpected.
Music by Jazz Zoom Trio A
Danny Simmons' Corridor Gallery
334 Grand Avenue (between Greene Ave and Gates Ave)
Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, New York
(718) 638-8416
Gallery Hours: Saturday from 12noon to 6pm
G Train to Classon Avenue
C Train to Clinton-Washington
Corridor Gallery is a Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation Project
You Are Officially Invited!

(Flier design by Alphabetcity Design)
Black and Tan Fantasy -
Photography by
Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
Please join us at the reception:
Sunday, February 5th 2006, 4pm
Light refreshments will be served!
Calabar Imports
820 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, New York
(718) 638-4288
2/3 Subway to Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum
For additional information contact DAKAR.MEDIA @ publicist.com








