About Gatekeeper
I am in constant conversation with the past, present and future. My great grandfather was a sharecropper in Mayesville, South Carolina; I grew up hearing many stories about his migration north to D.C. These storytelling moments always occurred on the wooden porch of the house he built with his own hands, which made me vividly aware of the links between storytelling, family life and craft practices. I frequently look to my grandmother and great aunts for memorable tales to serve as the foundation for my own creative practice. This has helped me establish my making methods as a visual artist/sculptor who explores the Black body in relation to domestic space. I associate my work with terms like "Black preservation" and "Black sustainability" because the space of the home becomes an extension of self, one which has to be maintained and preserved as a means of safety and source of memory and joy.
I would show that from the beginning of time Black people occupying space in an inherent way aided us in sustaining community and rituals. My art highlights the haunting of my people. I imagine their movements outside and inside their homes, recreating the imprints of elders etched into the furniture and fabrics of their environment. For me, to seal the importance of Black life in America means to visualize/ craft literal spaces that reflect tangible memories of collective childhood experience. These miniature, intimate family spaces highlight each detail of every object that made the space paramount.
This project aims to expose and celebrate the “Black American Dream,” centering on the aesthetics and domestic ideologies of the working class Black family after the great northern migration. I could extend my practice beyond my own family to research other Washington D.C. families in my neighborhood of LeDroit Park. I plan to gather their stories, tour/photograph their homes, and explore family archives through bi-monthly check ins. By comparing those findings with the material culture and experiences of my own family, I will identify patterns that deepen my understanding of how of Black existence is framed in household furniture like plastic covered couches, granddaddy’s worn-in lazyboy, and motif structures like crackled black rod-iron gates. In exchange for these families’ participation, I will “give back” by offering to take a piece from their home and upholster/redesign it.
I would show that from the beginning of time Black people occupying space in an inherent way aided us in sustaining community and rituals. My art highlights the haunting of my people. I imagine their movements outside and inside their homes, recreating the imprints of elders etched into the furniture and fabrics of their environment. For me, to seal the importance of Black life in America means to visualize/ craft literal spaces that reflect tangible memories of collective childhood experience. These miniature, intimate family spaces highlight each detail of every object that made the space paramount.
This project aims to expose and celebrate the “Black American Dream,” centering on the aesthetics and domestic ideologies of the working class Black family after the great northern migration. I could extend my practice beyond my own family to research other Washington D.C. families in my neighborhood of LeDroit Park. I plan to gather their stories, tour/photograph their homes, and explore family archives through bi-monthly check ins. By comparing those findings with the material culture and experiences of my own family, I will identify patterns that deepen my understanding of how of Black existence is framed in household furniture like plastic covered couches, granddaddy’s worn-in lazyboy, and motif structures like crackled black rod-iron gates. In exchange for these families’ participation, I will “give back” by offering to take a piece from their home and upholster/redesign it.
Meet the Artist
Sekoi Cooper
Multimedia Artist + Designer
Sekoi Cooper is Washington D.C. raised Artist and Parsons School of Design Alumna.
She graduated with a degree in Fashion and Textile Design in 2021. Sekoi’s experience in the creative fields of Fashion, Textile, and Furniture has allowed her to curate her own practice that awarded her many fellowships/sponsorships. These awards include but are not limited to Gucci Changemakers, Calik Denim Sponsorship, and Windgate Lamar Fellowship. Her innovative thought process acts as a catalyst to a future full of sustainable, high quality and original projects where she creates literal spaces that reflect her tangible memories of collective childhood, and makes collections that echoes her experience.