THEDA SANDIFORD – Follow the Tread – IVY BROWN GALLERY
THE ARTWORS
HEIGHTS OVER SPRINGFIELD – BAGGAGE CART
Bottle caps, green 550 paracord, hollow braided polyurethane rope, solar LED rope lights,recycled commercial fishing net, zip ties, gold spray paint on recovered shopping cart. 36 x 40 x 24 in
THE ARTWORKS
Donda Fresh Direct: we all carry emotional baggage. This manifests differently for each of us. Some of us carry shopping carts of pain and bitterness while some of us jarry a wee tote bag. Made while working with Kanye West on the roll out of his album Donda over the course of a 6 week sprint, through three livestreams, track revisions, cover art changes and marketing rollout. This emotional baggage cart contains the frenzied manic energy of this album release cycle. My baggage carts are designed as a vessel to dispose of for racial trauma to seperate myself from these experiences. Heights Over Springfield speaks to the experience of circumventing systemic housing discrimination. Mansplaining: I’m in Home Depot buying art supplies all the time and I’m constantly being mansplained to about the materials (spray paint, rope, paracord) I’m purchasing so when I saw this Home Depot shopping cart abandoned in my neighborhood, I knew just what to do…” (T.S)
THE ARTIST
Theda Sandiford (NYC 1970) is a self-taught mixed media artist based in Jersey City, NJ. Though art is engrained in her psyche, Theda’s first creative endeavors were in the music business as a sales & digital marketing executive. After years of ground breaking digital work for musicians, she began applying digital and analog art processes to develop her own artistic self-expression as a means of art therapy.“Using racial conflict as a starting point, I juxtaposes various fibers with a variety of found materials using free form weaving, coiling, knotting, wrapping and jewelry making techniques. Meticulously collected materials, transformed by their collective memory become “social fabric” weaving together contemporary issues and personal narratives. 100-foot extensions of rope, twine, and yarn impeccably wrapped, woven, tied and embellished with recycled beads, ribbon, lace, tape and bottle cap bobbles lures you into my hue-imbued, enmeshed installations symbolizing natural hair. These bold albeit whimsically twisted and locked forms gingerly invite the audience into off the-wall conversations about micro aggressions against black women and their hair. Community art making is also key to my process. Multi- disciplinary experiences pairing people, food, wine, music and art, create a safe space to explore themes such as equity & inclusion, sustainability and personal wellbeing.” (T.S.)
THE GALLERY
Ivy Brown Gallery was founded in 2001 as a result of 9/11 and her commitment to opening doors in her community.
The Gallery represents and exhibits contemporary art of all mediums. Dedicated to supporting emerging and established artists, Ivy Brown takes her experience from the commercial arts world and brings it to the fine arts arena. The gallery also curates exhibitions throughout New York City.
Ivy’s commitment to art and the critical part it plays in our humanity is the grounding force behind the gallery.
