In her titular autobiographical work, Maya Angelou asserts that “the caged bird sings of freedom.” But what song does the bird on free soil sing? I Know Why the Blackbird Sings revisits Ohio’s complicity in the practice of dispossession, kidnapping, and denial of due process through the locational efforts of Ohio’s free people.
Participating Artists: Tyiesha Radford Shorts, Valerie Boyer, Paisha Thomas
This show is on view concurrently with Don't Sell Grandma's House, a group exhibition curated by Tyiesha Radford Shorts.
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 4, 6–8 PM at Urban Arts Space
About the Artist
Tyiesha Radford Shorts is a writer, humanities professor, and arts and community advocate in the central Ohio community. Currently, Tyiesha serves as Director of The Giovanni Collective, a writing and performing arts organization of Black women writers. Tyiesha is also a founding board member and the Vice Chair of Zora’s House, a sanctuary for women and gender expansive people of color. As an arts and community advocate, Tyiesha teaches free community learning groups for non-traditional students, a practice that offers formal spaces for the curiosity of the classroom outside of the academy.
A passionate poet and historian, Tyiesha was selected to be the 2025 Community Artist-in-Residence for The Ohio State University’s Urban Arts Space. She has been a featured performer for the Columbus Foundation, Streetlight Guild, the Greater Columbus Arts Council, the Columbus Metropolitan Library, and ROOTS: An Open Expression on Identity for the Maroon Arts Group.
Tyiesha was a contributing writer for the American Council of Learned Societies 2023 Preparing Community-Engaged Scholars: A Toolkit as well as the collaborative work A Love Letter to This Bridge Called My Back, a collection of literary and visual art works designed to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the seminal text This Bridge Called My Back. Her forthcoming article in the Handbook of Critical Arts-Based Research Methods, “Lord Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise: A Return to Black Appalachia through Memory and Poetics,” explores practices of cultural transmission among Black Appalachian communities. She lives in Columbus, Ohio’s historic Bronzeville community with her husband, Marshall, and their dog Ny.
Visiting Urban Arts Space
50 W. Town St., Ste. 130
Columbus, OH 43215
Located in the historic Lazarus Building in downtown Columbus.
Hours
Tuesday–Saturday | 11 a.m.–6 p.m., with extended hours until 8 p.m. on Thursday.
Admission to our exhibitions and programs is free!
View this map for parking garage options, with street parking on Rich, Front, and Wall Street, or go to our Accessibility page for bike or bus directions.