"When They Were Here" - An Immersive Exhibit

"When They Were Here" is an immersive exhibit presenting a snapshot of those whose stories may not have been told. Beverly Keese-Kelley preserves their forgotten tales through an installation of artifacts, providing a visual journey into the past. With flashes of historical moments of untold and abandoned stories about the African-American experience during  enslavement and beyond, these stories are preserved and the contributions of those who lived them are celebrated. The exhibit travels from venue to venue collecting objects and stories from the public.

Visitors to the Trent House Visitor Center exhibit during Art All Day on September 21, 2024, can work with Beverly to incorporate their artifacts into this ongoing work of art. The exhibit can also be visited through October 27, 2024, each week on Wednesdays through Sundays, 1:00 to 4:30 pm.

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A Trenton native, multidisciplinary artist Beverly Keese-Kelley began creating art as a youth, under the tutorials of her mother Sudie Keese who taught her sewing, art, and decorating. She compiles her artwork from a 'sustainable' point of view, using what's readily available such as found, thrifted and recyclable items, all the while using techniques and methods long known to African Artisans.​ Beverly combines her talent for art and crafting with her passion for history and the human experience, to visually articulate an emotional connection to both the past and present existence of the African American Diaspora.