Sierra King’s curatorial statement for here. there. everywhere. at MINT calls the exhibition a dynamic love letter to Black women for the abundance of freedom they have introduced into the past, present, and future—or here, there, and everywhere.
"Everything I Am" (2020-08-22/2020-10-10) by Jasmine Nicole WilliamsMINT
Sierra King's cultural debut shares with the community at large private relationships that these women artists have cultivated between each other.
Featured Artists
Rite Mercer, Ebony Blanding, Sierra Bush, Ellex Swavoni, Jazmine Hayes, Mwandisha Gator, Jasmine Nicole Williams, Chandler Stephens, Toya Beacham, Natrice Miller, Stephanie Brown
"Apyphanie" "Everything I am" "The Powers that be" (2020-08-22/2020-10-10) by Chandler Stevens, Sierra King, Toya Beacham, Jasmine Nicole Williams, and \MINT
Included artists pull from their distinct experiences of Blackness, Black womanhood, and Black futurity, and justifiably do not attempt to represent every experience.
"Talk to Plants" (2020-08-22/2020-10-10) by Sierra King and Ebondy BlandingMINT
Sierra King’s personal archive
Installed along the edge of the exhibition, is an assortment of photographs, books, vintage magazines, and cassette tapes. Visitors were invited to peruse these relics of her family matriarchs.
"Humble Beginnings" (2020-08-22/2020-10-10) by Sierra King and Mwandisha GaitorMINT
Humble Beginning, a culinary-themed installation by Mwandisha Gaitor—owner of the catering business 2 Pieces of Toast. Books, dried leaves, bright purple flowers, and photos cover the kitchen table, which is set for two.
"I'll always place treasures in your hair" (2020-08-22/2020-10-10) by Jazmine Hayes and Sierra KingMINT
Vernacular photographs such as those featured in Stephens’ work recurred throughout the exhibition, their presence alongside and within artworks elevating the potentially mundane to the status of an homage to Black women that spans generations.
"BLA_K CONE" (2020-08-22/2020-10-10) by Sierra King and Sierra BushMINT
The portrait depicts
the search for possibility beyond one's current reality where they acknowledge that a change must occur. It shares with the community at-large intimate self-care and bonding practices.
"Coded" (2020-08-22/2020-10-10) by Jazmine Hayes, Chandler Stephens, and Sierra KingMINT
Coded (2020), a collaboration between Chandler Stephens and Jazmine Hayes, is a mural depicting heavy arching lines that lead to a knotted textile work made of Kanekalon—synthetic braiding hair used for a myriad of Black hairstyles.
"Talk to plants" (2020-08-22/2020-10-10) by Sierra King and Ebony BlandingMINT
The Black Woman Artists
featured in here, there. everywhere. recall collective memories, experiences, and stories where they have been in pursuit of a near future beyond their reality. As it becomes a daily practice they unlike many other began sharing their findings and solutions as an offering to ignite change amongst us all.
"The powers that be" (2020-08) by Chandler Stephens and Sierra KingMINT
The blue outer arches and the lower bright yellow inner arches called on Yoruba deities—Yemaya for water and Oshun for warmth.
"Call Your Ancestors" (2020-08-22/2020-10-10) by Sierra King and Ellex SwavoniMINT
Ellex Swavoni's "Call Your Ancestors #5" created with resin, wood, and acrylic paint
Sierra King
an artist, archivist, and curator who is deeply committed to documenting, preserving and arching the work and contributions of Black Women Artists.
Here.There. Everywhere. (2020-08-22/2020-10-10) by Jazmine Hayes and Sierra KingMINT
Black womanhood was represented in the exhibition through recurring themes of freedom, beauty, maternity, spirituality, hair, and food.
"Humble Beginning " (2020-08-22/2020-10-10) by Mwandisha Gaitor and Sierra KingMINT
MINT Gallery Atlanta, United States
Rite Mercer, Ebony Blanding, Sierra Bush, Ellex Swavoni, Jazmine Hayes, Mwandisha Gator, Jasmine Nicole Williams, Chandler Stephens, Toya Beacham, Natrice Miller, Stephanie Brown
Curated by Sierra King
Photographs: Charlotte Watts
2020
