Join us on Saturday, October 19th, for a day-long program in celebration of ICA’s current installation, Entryways: Nonstikelelo Mututi. Designed by artist and designer Nonstikelelo Mutiti, this installation and her work explore concepts of beauty, labor, and protection while highlighting the relationship between modern design and its roots in African diasporic visual culture. 

This multi-part program celebrates the work of Black artists and practitioners in Philadelphia, whose practices center on themes of protection, self-care, resilience, beauty, and public art. Expect pop-up presentations from Black artists and designers, hands-on workshops, and a curated marketplace full of unique finds. Food, drinks, and music are on the house!

Full Schedule

2:00PM: Opening Remarks

2:30PM: Pop-up Presentation with artist & designer, Marian Bailey 

3:00PM: Block Printing Workshop with Joy Ude 

4:30PM: Pop-up Presentation with artist, DeJeonge Reese

5:00PM: Demonstration and Q&A with Michelle Prince

*Marketplace curated by Debora Charmelus of Kontan is available throughout the run of the program. Music curated by DJKillSing.

Registration

This event is free and open to all. | To register for the event, click here.

Accessibility

ICA is committed to creating a welcoming environment for all visitors. For more notes on accessibility including accessible parking nearby visit our Accessibility landing page. If you require any accessibility accommodations or have any questions about the program, please contact Brittany Clottey (bclottey@ica.upenn.edu).

About the participants

Marian Bailey is a self-taught visual artist whose work explores themes of memory, history, and identity through the use of digital and physical media. Bailey’s works are often characterized by her use of bold colors and dynamic color blocking.Central to Bailey’s artistic practice is a fascination with the ways in which individuals and communities connect to work together in order to move through the current time and persist into the future. As a member of the Black diaspora, Bailey often thinks about the stories, recipes, music and cultural contexts that traveled across land and water, transforming while remaining true to their essence. Drawing on personal and collective histories, their work investigates how memories and narratives are formed and transmitted across time and space. Bailey’s artwork often features images and symbols that reference her African American heritage and experiences. She believes that art has the power to bring people together and to spark important conversations about the world around us. Bailey seeks to upend traditional power structures and open up new dialogues around issues of race, gender, and culture. Inspiring empathy and understanding, promoting social change and celebrating the human experience is ultimately at the heart of Bailey’s practice. Creating art that is accessible, inclusive and welcoming to viewers of all backgrounds and perspectives drives her practice.

DeJeonge Reese (she/her) is a visual artist, educator and art advocate from Yeadon, Pennsylvania. She received her Bachelors degree in Visual Arts from The Lincoln University of Pennsylvania and her masters degree in studio art from Moore College of art and design in Philadelphia, PA. With a background in ceramics; DeJeonge used her time at Moore to explore other mediums such as installation, mixed media and performance art.She uses her art and creativity to stimulate new and on-going conversations on the various facets of identity, linage, roots and ancestry within the black community; highlighting these intersections through her passion for experimenting with a variety of mediums and materials; primarily through hair. DeJeonge’s work has been showcased in various group exhibitions including Narrative Tactility , RushArts, Phila, PA, Hairitage, Dekalb Gallery, Brooklyn NY and (re)FOCUS at City Hall, Phila, PA. She has been awarded a fellowship for Black artists from Mural art Philadelphia and has attended residencies at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Tennessee and Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. 

Joy O. Ude is a mixed-media artist and designer. An American-born child of Nigerian immigrants, Ude explores the concept of duality in her artwork. Ude earned her BFA in Fashion Design in 2005 from the University of North Texas. After working in the fashion industry, she also earned an MFA in Fiber Arts from the University of North Texas in 2013. Her work has been included in regional and national shows including: CraftTexas, Fantastic Fibers, Fiberart International, and ArtSeen. Her 2021 solo show, 9ja Vision: The Fiber and Mixed-Media Work ofJoy O. Ude, was featured at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. Ude teaches fiber-based workshops nationally, most recently at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. Ude currently teaches elementary art in Philadelphia.