AFH Residency
This post is about my time at the Andrew Freedman Home, host of the Spring 2025 residency I am participating in. It is a 6 month residency at a historical building in the Bronx, with a cohort of 5 other NYC based artists. I’m learning a lot and relishing the opportunity to connect more deeply with the Bronx community.
Continuing the work emphasizing the experiences of people of the African Diaspora, and especially that of African Americans, I am developing several artworks utilizing a variety of mediums.
This painting is a depiction of my uncle at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Justice. I love how sharp the marchers looked as they protested. I was drawn to depict the pride reflected in the clothing, calm and confidence conveyed by the original photograph I discovered among my family photos. Exploring the image further, I realized he is drinking a sip of water, which seems apropros for the marathon of fighting for civil rights, as we now know it to be.
What may ultimately become the pinnacle piece in the “Sacred Waters” series, this sculpture is my attempt at developing a freestanding dress out of fiberglass and resin. The idea is a reference to a religious event such as a praise and worship gathering or a baptism, during the antebellum period. Such events would not only be sacred but a rare opportunity to commune with each other without the demands of labor, to experience joy and love.
A counterpoint to the previous sculpture, this outdoor installation is a loosely crafted “nest,” for which I am exploring the actual grounds of the Andrew Freedman Home. In it I am exploring the ethereal, natural materials as opposed to the industrial materials of fiberglass and resin. While creating this nest I meditated on themes of belonging, survivalism, ancient wisdom, as well as settler colonialism. I intend to use photographs of this nest in a collage series.
I’m thrilled by the ideas coming from our cohort and deeply grateful for the time offered by this residency to enrich my practice, technical ability, and deepen my understanding of my role in my community.
To learn more about the artist, Andrew Freedman Home, or other artworks, click here: