About
Artist's Statement
Material arts, historically referred to as “domestic” arts, these being crafts- including knitting, quilting, sewing, and embroidering- in the United States (U.S.) have historically either excluded, misrepresented, or failed to inclusively represent the contributions of American minorities in their creation. In these mediums, little is interwoven into U.S. history about the significant contributions of Black women outside the marginal mention in the context of slavery and theology. When these material artifacts are showcased and elevated as seminal American art, the contributions of Black women are seldom considered as inclusive. Often these examples are segregated by space and signage that indicates an otherness of these artist and artifacts as sub-American and not mainstream. While this omission from Americana culture has been relegated to one-off special topics, resilience has been found in those who foray into reconfiguring Black lives and its significance in expressions of material arts. Through reclaiming minority presence and contributions to the material arts, this project engages the audience to consider our roles in furthering inclusion and minority belonging within the material arts discipline.
