'To Believe' Exhibit Explores East Austin Faith, Belief

AUSTIN, TX — A new exhibit explores the approaches to faith and belief in contemporary and historic East Austin.

Oakwood Chapel presents “To Believe,” an exhibit with events staged in the Chapel from Sept. 21 through Dec. 20. In collaboration with interfaith groups and East Austin community leaders, “To Believe” visits many approaches to faith and belief in contemporary and historic East Austin through video, photography, digital maps, and performance, organizers described. A digital Story Map of historic and present-day East Austin churches will document Jacob Fontaine’s influence in Austin, curators added.

Serving as the inspiration for this exhibit, Fontaine was a man freed from slavery at age 57, who founded six Baptist churches, married 111 couples, and created Austin’s first black newspaper.
This exhibit is a collaboration with Rev. Daryl Horton, architect Ben Heimsath and Interfaith Action of Central Texas (iACT). “To Believe” aligns with “The African American Presence in 19th Century Texas,” an exhibition of the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center opening in Oct. 2019.

“To Believe” content producers include iACT, Preservation Austin, Heimsath Architects, Austin Foundation for Architecture, Adisa Communications, Big Medium and Sightlines. The exhibit and events are free and open to the public.

Events:

• Sept. 21, 2019: Opening Reception, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Musical performance by Austin treasure W. C. Clark at 3 p.m.
• Sept. 22, 2019: Austin Museum Day, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. In collaboration with Save Austin’s Cemeteries, the Chapel will provide Oakwood Cemetery Tours.
• Nov. 16-17 and 23-24, 2019: East Austin Studio Tour, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Talks by a film artist plus photographer Liz Moskowitz.
• Nov. 16, 2019: Talk and Choir Performance at noon. Opening the East Austin Studio Tour, Reverend Daryl Horton and architect Ben Heimsath will give a talk accompanied by a choir performance, inviting a community conversation about belief.
• Nov. 21, 2019: Marking History/Making Art Panel Discussion, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. A discussion produced by Big Medium, Preservation Austin and Sightlines.

EVENTS LINK: austintexas.gov/page/exhibits

DIGITAL STORY MAP LINK: austintexas.gov/page/oakwood-cemetery-chapel-resources (content launches Sept. 21)

About Oakwood Chapel

Through historical tours, exhibits, events and memorial services, the Oakwood Cemetery Chapel provides a place to connect, heal and reflect, that is open to all.