Moses Sumney Screens “Blackalachia” at Nicola Vassell Gallery

On February 3, Moses Sumney and Nicola Vassell Gallery celebrated the screening of “Blackalachia,” Sumney’s feature-length performance film and photographic series that poetically examines isolation, introspection, and Black cultural influence. The film, which he created in the North Carolina stretch of the Blue Ridge Mountains during summer 2020, plumbs the relationship between Blackness and the Appalachian region—and the severance of the two. Friends of both the artist and the gallery braved New York winter temperatures for the screening, which culminated in cocktails and light bites at Orchard Townhouse nearby. Notable guests included Antwaun Sargent, Alteronce Gumby, Hannah Traore, Emily Ratajkowski, and more. Photos by Sansho Scott/BFA.