Mixed Media:
Sculptures & Installations.
Unknown Reverences. Dirt, Saw Dust, Wood, Wood Glue. 17x8x8.
This is a genderless mud sculpture and a prototype that honors a black child, who was murdered by the state, and how energy/blackness is never destroyed rather it is constantly transforming.
It will be installed in a public space as its final resting place. The next phase is to work alongside black families who have experienced a loss to ensure that the work is rooted in meaningful collaborative healing processes.
This is a genderless mud sculpture and a prototype that honors a black child, who was murdered by the state, and how energy/blackness is never destroyed rather it is constantly transforming.
It will be installed in a public space as its final resting place. The next phase is to work alongside black families who have experienced a loss to ensure that the work is rooted in meaningful collaborative healing processes.
Content Warning the work below depicts lynching.
Untitled. 3D Print, Steel, Clear Paper, Cardstock and Wood. 5x8x8.
This is a spinnable miniature sculpture that includes a circular transparent border of postcards depicting lynchings. The black body has been removed from each postcard, leaving only the crowds of white folks who partook in the act. This work isolates and zooms in on a little white girl who was “curiously” looking at a lynched body; placing her at the center of attention in the sculpture. The tan postcard/image provided is the reference material for the centered girl.
This is a spinnable miniature sculpture that includes a circular transparent border of postcards depicting lynchings. The black body has been removed from each postcard, leaving only the crowds of white folks who partook in the act. This work isolates and zooms in on a little white girl who was “curiously” looking at a lynched body; placing her at the center of attention in the sculpture. The tan postcard/image provided is the reference material for the centered girl.
RJ 27 (Series, Restorative Justice 27). Screenprint on Various Paper - Newspaper, Train Ads & Heavyweight Paper. Varied Sizes.
Installation documented by Serena Violet Hodges.
Installation depicts restorative justice “ads” in the advertisement rafters of the Chicago Transit Authority. Thus injecting abolitionist-seeded, healing centered questions/prompts into train passengers’ mundane commutes. RJ27 answers Mariame Kaba’s call to “(create) abolitionist messages that penetrate the public consciousness to distort the idea that cops=safety.”
Red poster reads - “Safety?” covering an army recruitment ad. Black poster - “HEAL” is overlaid these question, “What has been the hardest part?” “If you had to do it over what would you do differently?” “What’s needed to make things right?” etc. Small Black poster - “How do we Heal from Harm in a punitive culture?”. Photographed is a black person engaging with RJ27 newspaper design, which depicts three figures: ICE, police and FBI, clad in riot gear, with shields that read, “safety?”. These were casually placed on the CTA seats inviting direct engagement.
Installation documented by Serena Violet Hodges.
Installation depicts restorative justice “ads” in the advertisement rafters of the Chicago Transit Authority. Thus injecting abolitionist-seeded, healing centered questions/prompts into train passengers’ mundane commutes. RJ27 answers Mariame Kaba’s call to “(create) abolitionist messages that penetrate the public consciousness to distort the idea that cops=safety.”
Red poster reads - “Safety?” covering an army recruitment ad. Black poster - “HEAL” is overlaid these question, “What has been the hardest part?” “If you had to do it over what would you do differently?” “What’s needed to make things right?” etc. Small Black poster - “How do we Heal from Harm in a punitive culture?”. Photographed is a black person engaging with RJ27 newspaper design, which depicts three figures: ICE, police and FBI, clad in riot gear, with shields that read, “safety?”. These were casually placed on the CTA seats inviting direct engagement.
Mud Stencil: Trapped by Toomin, #FreeThemAll. Mud. 26x26 inch & 10x2 inch. The action is in collaboration with Liberation Library, Assata's Daughters & American Friends Services Committee.
Installation documented by Sarah-Ji, Love + Struggle Photos.
This action, in front of the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center, brought awareness of Judge Michael Toomin, disproportionately targeting BIPOC youth for detention. jireh was the installation artist and art director with the support of two art assistants (pictured). Depicted are the stamps. The pandemic shifted the way we organize/gather; through using an eco-friendly, semi-permanent mud stencil, we carved our message into the sidewalk, which continued to spread awareness long after we left.
Depicted are three black cars acting as a centerpiece and temporary altar, which are cladded with houseplants to bring life into a barren space. Installation and materials shot included.
Installation documented by Sarah-Ji, Love + Struggle Photos.
This action, in front of the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center, brought awareness of Judge Michael Toomin, disproportionately targeting BIPOC youth for detention. jireh was the installation artist and art director with the support of two art assistants (pictured). Depicted are the stamps. The pandemic shifted the way we organize/gather; through using an eco-friendly, semi-permanent mud stencil, we carved our message into the sidewalk, which continued to spread awareness long after we left.
Depicted are three black cars acting as a centerpiece and temporary altar, which are cladded with houseplants to bring life into a barren space. Installation and materials shot included.
Mixed Media: Drawings.
Reconfigured Anxious: “Productivity." “Housing Anxiety." “The Burden." Graphite. 14x11. Strathmore Mixed Media.
This series explores how anxiety alters, hinders and lives within my black, trans, disabled body. housing anxiety depicts the artist’s headless frail torso with an unusual organ exiting their body to examine itself. productivity depicts the artist splitting into and out of themself, while making direct eye contact with the viewer. Sound waves are drawn above their head. the burden depicts a headless torso and gangly arms grasping decaying watermelons. These works utilize my intuitive drawing style/continuous lines.
This series explores how anxiety alters, hinders and lives within my black, trans, disabled body. housing anxiety depicts the artist’s headless frail torso with an unusual organ exiting their body to examine itself. productivity depicts the artist splitting into and out of themself, while making direct eye contact with the viewer. Sound waves are drawn above their head. the burden depicts a headless torso and gangly arms grasping decaying watermelons. These works utilize my intuitive drawing style/continuous lines.
Pressed Memories. Graphite, Color Pencil, Embroidery Thread & Pressed Flowers. 42x42. Strathmore Mixed Media.
This work honors how black folks cherish memories by placing important papers and photos in books. The artist presses dried plants to hold memories. The creation process was an act of memory, from drawing a plant from memory to drawing the same plant solely by looking at the plant or an image of the plant and not looking at the drawing. This action mimics how memories are colored and altered by outside forces.
This work utilizes my intuitive drawing style/continuous lines.
This work honors how black folks cherish memories by placing important papers and photos in books. The artist presses dried plants to hold memories. The creation process was an act of memory, from drawing a plant from memory to drawing the same plant solely by looking at the plant or an image of the plant and not looking at the drawing. This action mimics how memories are colored and altered by outside forces.
This work utilizes my intuitive drawing style/continuous lines.
Works in Collaboration with Community.
Color Me Healing: A Radical 2017 Coloring Book. Cover page is 11x17 inch. Colored Pencil. In Collaboration with For the People Artists Collective.
Cover artist & curator jireh l. drake. The Coloring Booking is a soft cover book at 8.5x11inch & features 26 Chicago born & Chicago based radical artist. The inside page featured is by darien R. Wendell depicting Intersex Action Day 2017.
Coloring Book Release Party photos documented by Sarah-Ji, Love + Struggle Photos.
Cover artist & curator jireh l. drake. The Coloring Booking is a soft cover book at 8.5x11inch & features 26 Chicago born & Chicago based radical artist. The inside page featured is by darien R. Wendell depicting Intersex Action Day 2017.
Coloring Book Release Party photos documented by Sarah-Ji, Love + Struggle Photos.
Community Puzzle: Trust Youth. Acrylics. 5x6 foot. In Collaboration with Youth from the Illinois Caucus of Adolescent Health (ICAH).
The puzzle depicts two black youth, back to back, easefully leaning against each other while warm swirling feelings of trust dissipate blue feelings of lonely, self-doubt etc. An ICAH youth had a genius idea of completing a giant puzzle to physically build community. This puzzle was featured at an intergenerational ICAH (Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health) event and was created by 5 youth, 2 adults and myself.
Documentation of the construction, the completion and solving the puzzle included.
The puzzle depicts two black youth, back to back, easefully leaning against each other while warm swirling feelings of trust dissipate blue feelings of lonely, self-doubt etc. An ICAH youth had a genius idea of completing a giant puzzle to physically build community. This puzzle was featured at an intergenerational ICAH (Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health) event and was created by 5 youth, 2 adults and myself.
Documentation of the construction, the completion and solving the puzzle included.
