Category: Ramblings

Posted on

Surviving Blackness in America:
Quilts as Political Statement

In honor of Juneteenth this year, I am sharing the public a recording of Textile Society of America’s 2022 colloquium series, (re)claiming futures.

“Surviving Blackness in America: Quilts as Political Statement”

Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi led a panel of leading Black quilters—Ed Johnetta Miller, Dorothy Burge and L’Merchie Frazier—who discussed their artwork through the lens of social justice, protest, and as a reflection of past and current situations adversely affecting the African American community.

These quilters are all members of the Women of Color Quilters Network, founded by Dr. Mazloomi. Karen Hampton, artist, TSA member made the opening and closing remarks.

(re)claiming futures is generously supported by the Lenore Tawney Foundation.

Posted on

Textures: The History and Art of Black Hair

I recently Zoomed Kent State University museum’s excellent research in history, fashion, art, and visual culture to reassess the “hair story” of peoples of African descent with KSU Museum with co-curators, Joseph L. Underwood, assistant professor of art history at KSU and Tameka Ellington, associate professor at the School of Fashion at KSU.

To say, I felt seen during the webinar would be a massive understatement.

The talk explored topics such as the preferential treatment of straight hair, the social hierarchies of skin, and the power and politics of display.  

Black hair has long been an visual signifier that has been leveraged, disdained, celebrated, and scrutinized for centuries.

I have been studying exhibition photos on the website. The shape of the combs, product packaging, and masterworks from artists including Sonya Clark, Lorna Simpson, Mary Sibande and Lina Iris Viktor have left me truly inspired to dig out some unfinished rope hair pieces I stashed away at the beginning of the Pandemic.

Sonya Clark
Black Hair Flag, 2010
Posted on

Things I Learned at Expo Chicago

While at Expo Chicago I met so many interesting people and organizations creating social practice art and making a difference in their community.

This is one of my favs…

Black Creativity

Let me find out that the Black Creativity program at Museum of Science & Industry has been celebrating African American achievement in science, technology, engineering, art and medicine for 50 years.