Bucks County artist Kevin Aster Young has partnered with 16 different community organizations and faith-based institutions to create a joint artwork for the annual Mercer Museum Juneteenth celebration in Doylestown, writes Jeff Werner for the Patch.

For the 160th anniversary of the holiday, Young is creating a piece that celebrates Juneteenth and highlights the history of the African-American experience. In the process, he’s bringing together various segments of the local community to collaborate on a single work.

Each organization was provided with ten small canvases to paint on, following the artist’s guidelines. This added up to a total of 160 pieces.

He then assembled the canvases to form an image of the Juneteenth flag. Each canvas represents a particular year since the holiday was first celebrated in 1865.

Young explained that the work seeks to unite the community, showcase unity in diversity, honor the passage of time, and highlight Black Americans’ enduring contributions to the nation’s history, which is particularly vital in today’s climate.

The piece, titled “Forward Backward Together Forward (160 Years),” will be unveiled to the public on June 14. This will take place during the Mercer Museum’s fourth annual Juneteenth Celebration.

To learn how this collaborative artwork honors Juneteenth and unites the community at the Mercer Museum, read the full story in the Patch.

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