Kamanga is producing an exhibition titled Black Matter(s): Demystifying Black Materiality in the Arts, which will explore the invisibility of Black materiality and material culture in the arts.

Black materiality and material culture have historically been excluded from mainstream discourse, despite its importance as a repository for memory, identity, and self-expression. In today’s tense social and political climate, having a platform for conversation and mutual understanding is important. Even though certain materials hold specific cultural weight, many other groups can have familiarities with the materials explored. Through this common ground, viewers can connect and engage on a deeper level with not just the work exhibited, but the culture, identities, and lived experiences represented.

The exhibition will examine how…

• Objects hold memory and stories inside them.
• Working with materials is also about the process and not just the finished product.
• Artists find connections to their deeper roots while engaging in art making.
• We should think of art as “practice” instead of art as object.

The materials we will explore are:

• Found objects (Black southern motifs, daily life while being Black, household materials)
• Fiber (hair braiding made from chunky yarn/other materials, connection to sisterhood, Black hair, shared hair experience)
• Wood (family ties, memory, transformation of discarded materials)
• Clay (African roots, connection to spiritual ancestors, healing)
• Fabric (certain garments convey certain aspects of identity; sparkling/shimmering convey queerness)”