UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — HUB-Robeson Galleries will present “Puss an dawg nuh ave di same luck,” an exhibition of work by Jamaican-born interdisciplinary artist Krystle Lemonias, March 5 through July 19 in the Art Alley at the HUB-Robeson Center.
A public reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. March 5. The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.
Lemonias’ practice examines the intersections of labor, identity and social justice, with particular attention to the experiences of Black immigrants and working-class communities. Through textile-based installations and mixed-media works, she highlights the often-overlooked contributions of care workers and construction laborers while challenging stereotypes associated with their roles.
Using found materials, fabric and culturally specific iconography, Lemonias explores themes of social class, citizenship and economic inequality. Repurposed elements — including baby clothes from her family and from families for whom they have provided care — are recontextualized into carefully composed tableaux. Her textile language reflects personal and collective histories within the Black diaspora, encouraging dialogue around cultural identity, labor and systemic power structures.
By centering personal narratives, Lemonias said she invites viewers to consider how labor shapes community, belonging and resilience.
Lemonias, who is an assistant professor of interdisciplinary art at Rowan University, has exhibited nationally, including “Yu cyaan ketch Quaku, yu ketch im shut” at Andrew Rafacz Gallery; “Show Me the Signs” at Blum & Poe as part of the #sayhername campaign; and “Unblocked: Improvisation and Identity in Contemporary Quilts” at the Hunterdon Art Museum. She earned a bachelor of fine arts in printmaking from New Jersey City University and a master of fine arts from University of South Florida.
For more information about this exhibition and others, contact HUB-Robeson Galleries at 814-865-2563 or visit the galleries website.
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