Tremaine Emory's Denim Tears Debuts First Solo Show at SCAD Museum of Art
Tremaine Emory, the creative force behind Denim Tears, has just kicked off his first solo exhibition called "Denim Tears from the Pool of Black Genius" at the SCAD Museum of Art. This exhibition will be available for viewing until January 11, 2027. Curated by Daniel Palmer, it highlights seven years of Emory's work, showcasing pieces from his own collection alongside items from the museum’s permanent collection. Some standout features include a salon-style arrangement of works by Black artists, the first pair of Denim Tears jeans, and sixteen scarecrows representing Jim Crow. Emory, known for his partnerships with brands like Yeezy and Supreme, hopes this exhibition will ignite interest in the Black experience in America.
Key facts
- "Denim Tears from the Pool of Black Genius" is Tremaine Emory's first solo exhibition, on view at the SCAD Museum of Art through Jan. 11, 2027.
- Emory founded Denim Tears in 2019 after living in London for nearly a decade.
- SCAD Museum of Art Chief Curator Daniel Palmer approached Emory about staging the exhibition.
- The show includes a salon-style wall of works by Black artists such as Romare Bearden, William H. Johnson, Faith Ringgold, and Charles White.
- Sixteen scarecrows, each dressed in a different Denim Tears collection, are arranged in a circle in the main room.
- The brand's name was inspired by a distressed pair of Levi's 501s that Virgil Abloh joked appeared to be crying.
- The third room, in the André Leon Talley gallery, features a wall of 150 T-shirts titled Autodidact.
- Emory's relationship with SCAD dates to 2006, when he worked for Marc Jacobs and visited Savannah.
Entities
Artists
- Tremaine Emory
- Virgil Abloh
- Romare Bearden
- William H. Johnson
- Faith Ringgold
- Charles White
- Frederick Douglass
- Kara Walker
- Lauren Halsey
- Eric N. Mack
- Judith Jamison
- Lauryn Hill
- Omar Little
- Marc Jacobs
- Robert Duffy
- Acyde
- André Leon Talley
- David Hammons
- Arthur Jafa
- Hank Willis Thomas
- Aman Shakya
Institutions
- Denim Tears
- Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
- SCAD Museum of Art
- Yeezy
- Stüssy
- Supreme
- Champion
- NAACP
- Dior
- Levi's
- Marc Jacobs
- Ugg
Locations
- Savannah
- United States
- London
- United Kingdom
- Atlanta
- Queens
- New York
- America