vanessa german's Assemblage Shrine to Forgotten Black Girls
At the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, vanessa german presents her exhibition '...do you remember when you were the sky?', which commemorates 15 Black girls who attempted escape from the Louisville Industrial School of Reform's Colored Girls Dormitory in 1913. The show is part of german's tenure as the inaugural Sam Gilliam Visiting Artist. Her sculptures, built from found objects like teacups, beads, and boxing gloves, include figures such as 'The Girl Who Had The Idea' and 'The Girl Who Lit The Path'. The work draws on Louisville's history as a corridor for enslaved people escaping via the Ohio River. A three-day participatory performance series preceded the exhibition last October.
Key facts
- vanessa german is the inaugural Sam Gilliam Visiting Artist at the Speed Art Museum.
- The exhibition is titled '...do you remember when you were the sky?'.
- The work references 15 Black girls who tried to escape the Louisville Industrial School of Reform in 1913.
- The sculptures incorporate found objects like ceramic teacups, glass bottles, beads, and boxing gloves.
- Key figures include 'The Girl Who Had The Idea' and 'The Girl Who Lit The Path'.
- Louisville was a crucial corridor for enslaved people escaping via the Ohio River.
- A three-day participatory performance series took place last October.
- The exhibition is currently on view at the Speed Art Museum.
Entities
Artists
- vanessa german
- Sam Gilliam
- Vanessa German
Institutions
- Speed Art Museum
- Louisville Industrial School of Reform
Locations
- Louisville
- Kentucky
- Ohio River
- United States
- Pittsburgh