Page 112 - Antennae Issue #52

Osanyin Osanyin Commemorative Commemorative Portrait Portrait Series Series and and The The The Camo Camo Coat Coat Collection
Collection
The The The Osanyin Osanyin Osanyin Commemorative Commemorative Portrait Portrait Series Series and and and The The The Camo Camo Coat Coat Collection
Collection
comprise a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a two-part project taking its cue from the Yoruba orisa Osanyin Osanyin god of of healing leaves and and forest wisdom often depicted as half-tree half-human The The first stage of of the the the the project began at the the the the 2014 NEH NEH Institute for Black Aesthetics and Sacred Systems The The portraits of of NEH NEH Fellows were taken on
on
the the the the the Emory University campus in in in in Atlanta GA commemorating the the historic institute and and documenting collaborative representation and and site as archive Here I developed leaf drawings later transformed into printed textile now in- cluded in the capsule collection This multifaceted project explores uses of of camouflage in in in everyday life and within formalized ritual ritual practice from an an an an Afro-Futurist perspective highlighting methodologies of of conceptual spiritual and and and and physical protection in in in in pattern and and and and textile With Chicago-specific prints The Camo Coat Collection
considers what it it it it means to to survive and and and and thrive in in in in the the the urban landscape 1 address- ing self-presentation garment-based strategies to to confront the the the consumption by the the the (white) gaze invisibility and and hyper-visibility and and pattern as as as signifier The body is is is one vessel of libera- tion2 which can be be mobilized to effect shape-shifting transformation with garment as as device in in in an an an an an alchemic dance of body and and landscape The Camo Coat Collection
launched on
on
on
on
the the portal date 02 02 02 02 02 02 02 02 02 02 02 02 2020 2020 with my first monograph AFRIFUTURI 02022020 3 was conceived over the the last two years as as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a timely site-specific tex- tile- and and and garment-based engagement with environmental political and and and social concerns influ- enced by Chicago’s AFRICOBRA co-founder Jae Jarrell and and and and her iconic Revolutionary Suit ready for for for boardroom and and and for for for revolution Highlighted in the collection’s design from past exhibition and and performance is is is a’nger (pronounced “ahn gair”) Tiv-Nigerian traditional striped loom-wo- ven textile which represents being clothed in in the the the essence of of Tiv Tiv A visual connection is is is also made to to the the the the the black-and-white stripe of of of military dazzle camouflage as as protection for ships and and to to to the the the broadside as as the the the side side side of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a ship ship from which weapons are discharged with poetry broad- sides used to to inexpensively and accessibly convey Black Arts Movement word force The collection includes Scottish tartans linked to to a’nger as as culturally-specific textiles Histori- cally when tartan tartan was made of organic vegetable dyes a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a cloth could be “read” by those expe- rienced to to recognize the the the the the intricate plants and sites represented in in in in in the the the the the pattern whether lighter as closer to to the the the the the the the the misty sea or or or or or darker greens indicating organic sources deeper in in in in in in in the the the the the the the the forest This reading the the the the the the word the the the the the the “speaking” of of a a a a a a a a a a à a a a a a a a a textile reflects Yoruba aesthetics of of àṣẹ “catalytic life force” as discussed by African art art historian Dr Rowland Abiodun with foundations in in in in the the the the the power of of o art art to to to listen and and and and to to to speak The Camo Coat Collection
rises from the the existing environment and and and and responds with with an an an an an an array of of o of possibilities offering protection on
on
on
on
on
multiple levels and and and and celebrating the the role of o of art and design within the the African Diaspora A selection of of of of 16 portraits out of of of of over 40 original images was featured as as part of of of of the the first public presentation of of of of the the the Osanyin Commemorative Portrait Series installed with The Camo Coat Collec- tion
tion
at at at at at the the Fashion Windows at at at at at Columbia College Chicago 618 South Michigan Avenue from February 11-March 1 1 1 2020 D D D Denenge Duyst-Akpem
Snow Camo Coat at at Osaka Garden of the Phoenix Jackson Park Chicago Still from collection promotional video by Jonathan Woods 2020 © D D D Denenge Duyst-Akpem
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