Counting down what is left of 2020, we’re all so drawn to folks who act on positive energy, and a prime example is the Ross-Sutton gallery where the dynamic Destinee Ross-Sutton and her newest project, the Ross-Sutton gallery where she is acting as curator, artist advisor, manager, artist advocate and champion of Black artists at her own namesake space.

Destinee was already one of the bright spots of this year, quickly becoming one of the most vibrant voices in the artworld.  Earlier this summer, the Harlem native successfully introduced  a game-changing contract for art buyers regarding resales for the Say It Loud (I’m Black and Proud) online exhibition at Christie’s back in July. Specific conditions, in direct response to a series of blatant “art flips'' of works on the secondary market, were imposed to protect those victimized Black artists. Along with other  innovative artist-first endeavors Ross-Sutton has earned the nickname Destinee the Disruptor and more importantly,  trust within the emerging artist community.

As the year comes to a close, Destinee opened her Ross-Sutton Gallery, located at 155 Wooster Street in NYC's Soho, in the former Paula Cooper Gallery space. Initiating her new gallery, is the inaugural exhibition, BLACK VOICES: Friend of My Mind, comprised of over 35 artists Ross-Sutton has worked with over the years, as well as some new names she is keen to introduce. "I am proud to be launching my own gallery with BLACK VOICES: Friend of My Mind," Ross-Sutton noted about this new endeavor. "It is a testament to the commitment of the artists that I work with and the collectors who see the cultural and long-term value of the work being created."

The original edition of the Black Voices series premiered this past spring in Sweden, and this iteration explores rest,  wellness, self-care, introspection, and comfort. The curator envisioned  images conveying the exuberance of Black people having fun, resting, smiling, being at ease, and loving each other, in defiance of a constructed system. Enjoy over forty artists including the likes of Stacey Gillian Abe, Marcellina Akpojotor, Joshua Michael Adokuru, Amoako Boafo, Debra Cartwright, Ekene Emeka-Maduka, Vanessa L German, Glenn Hardy, Lanise Howard, Isshaq Ismail, Jonathan Key, Dodi King, Amani Lewis, Sthenjwa Luthuli, Nelson Makamo, Tiff Massey, Milo Matthieu, Raphael Adjetey Adjei Mayne, Murjoni Merriweather, Sungi Mlengeya, Ambrose Murray, Collins Obijiaku, Ayanfe Olarinde, Idowu Oluwaseun, Eniwaye Oluwaseyi, Zéh Palito, Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe, Stan Squirewell, Ekene Stanley, David ‘Mr StarCity’ White, Katlego Tlabela, Khari Turner, WonderBuhle, Rufai Zakari and more in a feast of festive emotion. —Sasha Bogojev

Ross-Sutton will be the first Black-owned gallery to join the VorticXR digital platform family of galleries along with David Zwirner, Victoria Miro, Thaddeus Ropac, Pilar Corrias, among others. The exhibition will be on view until January 8th, 2021, and the online presentation will be available until February 28, 2021.