Our second Women to Watch exhibition in San Francisco.
Surfacing Histories, Sculpting Memories—SFA’s presentation of NMWA's Paper Routes, 2020.
Featuring:
Sofía Córdova - @yagrumo_yal
Sandra Ono - @sandra_ono_
Amy Tavern - @amytavern
Lava Thomas - @lavathomas
Julia Goodman - @juliaannegoodman
The conversation continues!
Curated by Claudia Schmuckli (FAMSF)
Presented at California College of the Arts
@cschmuckli - @deyoungmuseum@womeninthearts
“Healing Power” on view at EXPO Chicago with Jessica Silverman, booth 316, in the Profiles Section curated by Essence Harden.
From my “Freedom Songs” series, drawing on gospel music and the Black church as sites of collective power.
#expochicago
#freedomsongs
#tambourine
#contemporaryart
#blackchurchmateriality
EXPO CHICAGO - last day
Portraits from my “Looking Back” series with tambourines from “Freedom Songs” are presented with Jessica Silverman (booth 316) in the Profiles section, curated by Essence Harden. On view along side works by (l-r) David Huffman, Sadie Barnette, and Koak.
Drawn from my grandmother’s photo album of images made post-Emancipation, the portraits are built through successive lines, making time and labor visible. The source photographs were taken during a time when looking a white person in the eye could be punished by violence; here, the eyes are rendered in watercolor, activating the gaze and collapsing past and present into a one-to-one encounter with the viewer.
Wonderful to see the model of the Obama Presidential Center and listen to Dr. Louise Bernard speak about the artists and art on view when the Center opens this summer.
So good to see friends, old and new.
#expochicago #portraiture #artonpaper #blackarchives #contemporarydrawing
Looking Back III and IV - On view at EXPO CHICAGO with Jessica Silverman, Booth 316, as part of PROFILES, curated by Essence Harden.
Drawn from my family archive, these portraits are based on photographs of unnamed ancestors made in the decades after emancipation, when Black life was routinely misrepresented in the visual record. Meticulously rendered and set within hand-drawn frames that evoke care and keeping, the portraits meet the viewer’s gaze on their own terms.
Graphite, conte pencil and watercolor on paper. 36 x 39 inches
#expochicago #portraiture #drawing #blackarchives #artonpaper
Celebrating the enduring legacy of Dr. Maya Angelou. Your life and example made this monument possible. I lived with your words for years while making this work. Your courage guided me through challenges. Your example fortified me. This monument now stands in front of the main library in San Francisco - a point of civic pride at a time when Black life is under assault: book bans targeting Black authors, restricted access to jobs and higher education, the removal of Black leadership in corporate and pubic institutions, and the rollback of hard fought for civil rights laws.
Your voice and example are urgently needed now.
“Courage is the most important of all virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” -Dr. Maya Angelou
#drmayaangelou #mayaangelouquotes #stillirise
The Bronze Ceiling in San Francisco.
Did you know that in 2018 San Francisco had 84 public statues of historical men… but only 3 honoring real women?
The imbalance is striking: for decades, it was easier to find a mythical mermaid on a pedestal than a woman who actually shaped our city.
That is why advocacy matters.
We are thrilled that the city’s monument—honoring Dr. Maya Angelou—was created by Lava Thomas, an artist from our own Women to Watch legacy.
By championing artists like Lava, SFA NMWA is helping to ensure that the women who make history are finally given the space to be remembered in bronze. We’re moving from mythology to monumental history—one artist at a time.
@womeninthearts@lavathomas@jessicasilvermangallery
Today we said goodbye to our beloved Worf. He was only five. A social boy who loved people, loved walking to the shops, and loved being admired. Worf was my studio companion and Peter’s shadow.
After surgery today we learned the tumor was massive and aggressive. We made the decision to let him go peacefully while he was still under anesthesia.
Run free, beautiful boy. You were deeply loved and will be terribly, terribly missed.
Worf undergoes surgery today for a mass on his pancreas. Praying that it’s not cancer since tests were inconclusive. Those of you who know me well know how much I love(d) my dog(s). Corgi number three is a real charmer. Sweet boy, please make it ok.
Rena Bransten was a formidable presence in the Bay Area art world for over 50 years. She championed artists that she believed in, and built a gallery that helped define a generation. The gallery was like a family, and I am grateful to have been a part of it. My heartfelt condolences to her family and to the many artists, colleagues, and friends whose lives she touched, and whose careers she helped shape. Rest in Power, Dear Rena. It was a privilege to know you.
Join us this Friday for a gallery talk between Repossessions curator Dr. Bridget R. Cooks and newly commissioned artists Lava Thomas and Shanequa Gay.
Doors open at 5 pm, talk begins at 6 pm. This FREE event is open to the public, but space is limited! Register now to attend or receive the recording via Eventbrite, #linkinbio
#SpelmanMuseum #AtlantaArtEvents #Repossessions #ArtistTalk
