Here, we ask an artist to frame the essential details behind one of their latest works.
Bio: Carolyn Mazloomi, 76, West Chester, OH (@carolynlmazloomi)
Title of Work: Voting Rights (2024).
Where to See It: “Whole Cloth: Narratives in Black and White,” at Claire Oliver Gallery (2288 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd, New York, NY).
Three words to describe it: Strong. Provocative. Thoughtful.
What was on your mind at the time: As an African American born and raised in the Jim Crow segregated South, I was thinking of all the sacrifices Civil Rights workers made so Black people could have the right to vote.
An interesting feature that’s not immediately noticeable: Civil Rights icons, Fannie Lou Hamer, John Lewis, Ella Baker, Medger Evers, and Dr. Martin Luther King are casting their votes.
How it reflects your practice as a whole: Most of the work I create deals with Black history, social justice, or the status of women. The current state of affairs in our country inspired me to take a look back and remember. The objective of my making art is to inform and educate people about history they may be unfamiliar with. Further, quilting as my artistic medium conveys another layer to this story. Every human being has an intimate relationship with cloth. It is the first thing we are swathed in at birth, and the last thing that touches our body upon our death. Through quilting I find that difficult stories can reach audiences across identities and generations from a place of care, hearth, peace, and nurture.
One song that captures its essence: “People Get Ready” by Curtis Mayfield.
