STAGES & ERAS: New and Current Works from DaQuane Cherry
Schedule
5/10/2025 - Curator’s Preview (RSVP Here)
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
6/14/2025 - Curator’s Preview (RSVP Here)
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
6/21/2025 - Opening Reception (RSVP Here)
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
About the Exhibit
Rare Ink has partnered with DaQuane Cherry to present a curated selection of both current and new works. Fresh from his recent artist residency at Château d'Orquevaux in France, Cherry debuts A NIGHT IN PARIS WITH JOSEPHINE: Homage to Josephine Baker.
A starlight entertainer of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance, Josephine Baker was a force to be reckoned with. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she later moved to Harlem, NYC, to pursue her career as a singer, dancer, and entertainer. Eventually relocating to France, Baker used her fame to aid the French Resistance during World War II as a spy, and later became a key figure in the American civil rights movement. This series not only honors her remarkable legacy, but also reflects on the path she helped pave for artists like Cherry to exist and thrive today.
Rare Ink is honored to be an exhibiting partner for this powerful body of work, as well as additional pieces from the same period, including Moulin Rouge and Under the Moonlit Breeze.
Also on view are works from Cherry’s earlier collections, sourced through Rare Ink’s network of collectors:
THE WATER BEARER (2023)
A twelve-part mixed-media series exploring the emotional vulnerability of Black men, expressed through underwater ballet-inspired forms and Cherry’s signature teddy bear motif. The water represents a conscious state of emotional exposure, balancing femininity and masculinity. With studied anatomical precision, the figures embody flow, freedom, and introspection.
ESSENCE OF HARLEM (2024)
An ode to the Harlem Renaissance, this series marks the 100th anniversary of the historic cultural movement. Through bold color and vibrant expression, Cherry reflects on the jazz era of 1920s Harlem—while also honoring his own formative years spent there as a young adult, discovering his voice as an artist.
JUSTICE (2024)
A juxtaposition of heritage and harsh reality. This series confronts the chaos and struggle of contemporary life while celebrating cultural resilience. It speaks to the ongoing fight for equity, and the necessity of perseverance—of continuing to show up, even through fire.