Tanya Crane's Jewelry at Racine Art Museum Explores Identity and African History
Tanya Crane, a biracial artist known for her distinctive jewelry, is currently showcased at the Racine Art Museum (RAM). Utilizing enamel, metal, and found objects, her artwork embodies themes of history, identity, and resilience, often echoing Indigenous artistic motifs. The exhibition highlights her inspiration from ancient adornments, particularly metal bracelets and neckpieces from West Africa, historically significant in trade and cultural exchange. Crane’s creations are deeply personal, intertwining her family's heritage and experiences tied to the Great Migration, underscoring the impact of history on contemporary art and individual narratives.
Key facts
- Tanya Crane is a biracial artist working in enamel, metal, and found objects.
- Her jewelry explores themes of history, resiliency, migration, community, adornment, humanity, identity, family, and heritage.
- The exhibition is at Racine Art Museum (RAM).
- The work is inspired by incised metal bracelets and neckpieces from West Africa used as currency.
- These objects were used in transatlantic slave trade negotiations.
- Crane's research responds to her immediate landscape and family stories related to the Great Migration.
- The exhibition features jewelry inspired by historical adornment in RAM's permanent collection.
- Crane creates patterns that echo designs of global Indigenous makers.
Entities
Artists
- Tanya Crane
Institutions
- Racine Art Museum
Locations
- Racine
- United States
- West Africa