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Desmond Beach: Threads of Memory


  • Ely Center of Contemporary Art 51 Trumbull Street New Haven, CT 06510 USA (map)

Threads of Memory, Beach’s latest installation, consists of large quilt tapestries and a site specific altar. Beach uses quilting and portraiture as a means to connect with the what it means to be black in America.

“My work is rooted in the rich tradition of African storytelling, a thread that runs through each piece I create. My ancestors and those of the African Diaspora are honored in my work, and through performance and installation art, I build sacred spaces for their souls to rest. My ultimate goal as an artist is to transform the horrific into the beautiful, to take the pain and trauma of the Black experience and turn it into something that inspires and uplifts. Recent and historical events related to the African-American experience and anti-Blackness inspire my work, driving me to explore these themes in new and thought-provoking ways.”

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Earlier Event: November 12
Andree Brown: Leaves of Durham