I Can Make You Feel Good

When visiting Tyler Mitchell’s “I Can Make You Feel Good” a sense of euphoria washes over the viewer. The sublime world curated by Mitchell tells the story of black kindness, black power, black perfection but in that, he exhibits to us the constant suppression of that experience. His video work is comprised of black individuals participating in scenes Michelle always imagined to be fit for the black body. Portraits of peaceful, moments of soft touch, scenes of calm typically attributed to Eurocentric walks of life. As you glide through Michell’s work you begin to contemplate your own narrative within it, you begin to live the work. Picture laying in a room of quiet strangers gazing up at a screen fastened to the ceiling as young black boys play undisturbed. This beautiful moment invites the viewer into the landscape Michell has curated for himself and other marginalized individuals. As the boys dance above your head you can feel the intent of Mitchell. These beings as stand ins for any black man, woman, or child who float through the trails of unnamed suburban dystopia. After the video installations, Michell ends the show with a tactile interpretation of his light and dreamy disposition. The walls are adorn with his portrait work strung up on various textiles. As you weave your way through the hanging silk and gauze Michell again is able to immerse the viewer in his utopia. “I Can Make You Feel Good” is a space for serenity one in which the black body and safe, strong and validated.