Project 02
48 Bryant St: The Birth of The Gatekeeper
48 Bryant St: The Birth of The 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.
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.
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.
Iron Gate
The iron gate or steel gate motif became a huge part of the project because of quarantine, I forced myself to take a lot of walks in my neighborhood. During those walks I would force myself to take photos of my surroundings. In the photos I noticed how much gate motif would appear in almost every photo. The motif was something I have seen my whole life; It served as a background object, so I chose to bring it to the forefront and imply it all through the project.
From there, I saw the gate as a protector of the neighborhood and families. This is why the neighborhood felt so protected and sacred to us. That seems to be its biggest purpose is to secure. I used this project to deepen my understanding of domestic ideologies inside of the Black household, further expanding my archives of both the family and iron-gate motif archive.
From there, I saw the gate as a protector of the neighborhood and families. This is why the neighborhood felt so protected and sacred to us. That seems to be its biggest purpose is to secure. I used this project to deepen my understanding of domestic ideologies inside of the Black household, further expanding my archives of both the family and iron-gate motif archive.
