Art Gazing : 6.26.25 - Brooke Fierce Bronner : Played & Passed Down

10/14/25

Location : Chela Mitchell Gallery, Washington, D.C.

Thursday, June 26, 2025 - This afternoon finds the crew back at CMG! On this visit, we would be introduced to the artistry of Brooke Fierce Bronner. Exploring the connection between games we play(ed) and the traditions passed down through the generations, the exhibit showcases her paintings of scenes of camaraderie, play, and black joy. For those of us that grew up playing these games, will be transported back to your childhood, while newcomers get a window-view into sacred spaces that we only share with family and friends.

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Summary of Exhibition (as seen on chelamitchellgallery.com):

Chela Mitchell Gallery is proud to present Played and Past Down, a new solo exhibition by Brooke Fierce Bronner. With tender precision and emotional depth, Bronner transforms canvas into kitchen table—inviting us into a world of Black joy, memory, and communion.

Drawing on the deeply familiar rituals of card games, Scrabble, backgammon, and table talk, Bronner’s work captures the choreography of connection. These are not just games—they're living histories. Passed down by watching, not reading. Played with rules shaped by kinship, rivalry, and laughter. Here, every move is more than strategy; it’s storytelling.

“These are the games we learn by watching,” says Bronner. “The rules aren’t written, they’re felt—taught through laughter, rivalry, memory, and love.” Through a vibrant visual language, she explores the choreography of familial intimacy and the unspoken codes passed down over time.