This year is no exception, but I thought I don't have time to make something new, so why not talk about the things I have made in the past that directly link to me being brown, so.....
The Angela Davis
In 2011 I made a postcard sized work to be included in an auction. I found this postcard with pictures of 70s ladies with bouffant hairstyles. I then stitched afro hairstyles on top of them and called it The Angela Davis.
I have since turned the image into 3 badges I sell online and at zine fairs. This piece has caused much confusion from 'isn't that racist' to 'oh, that's not the Angela Davis I was thinking of'. All said by white people!
I find it sometimes make people feel uncomfortable, I don't think that was my initial intention, but I like that it can do that.
I most likely did it just on a whim, but I suppose it's a commentary on how such a political figure and daring icon, can just be reduced to a hairstyle. Or the age old stealing of cultures from POC and sold on by white people!
What, Is She Black Now?
In 2013 I decided I wanted to do some felt portraits instead of sculptural work. I came up with the idea of taking some of my favourite fictional characters and making them POC!
It's a comment on how the majority of pop culture I love is white (a commnet on the world AND myself) and how more often than not, when a character of colour is included it is conducive to the plot. They don't just happen to be black, it is somewhere along the lines to raise an issue.
I decided what if Enid Coleslaw was a brown weirdo? That story could still be told the same!
I got some postcards printed up of these pieces for others to hang on their wall or send to friends, I later turned this into a fabric I made into a dress for my 30th birthday and later a still a notebook!
Brown Girl Zine
In 2011 I finally put my love of zine making and Jamaican heritage to good use and made a zine all about being a brown girl! With rants, feelings, family histories and more.
I made issue 2, Brown Girls, this year with some contributions from friends, and features a lot on art and music made by rad POC.
I'm hoping it's a zine I can carry on and feature voices of a whole bunch of POC!
If you only read one thing during Black History Month make sure it's something from Rainbow Noir they are posting some great stuff, from people who so often don't get their voice heard.
You never know next year I might have finished that project I started last year, in time for Black History Month!
