Diedrick Brackens
survival is a shrine, not the small space near the limit of life
survival is a shrine, not the small space near the limit of life
2021 Cotton and acrylic yarn 233.7 x 248.9 cm / 92 x 98 in
Diedrick Brackens
Diedrick Brackens (b. 1989, Mexia TX; lives and works in Los Angeles CA) is best known for his woven tapestries that explore allegory and narrative through the artist’s autobiography, broader themes of African American and queer identity, as well as American history. Brackens employs techniques from West African weaving, quilting from the American South and European tapestry-making to create both abstract and figurative works.
Beginning his process through the hand-dyeing of cotton, a material he deliberately uses in acknowledgement of its brutal history, Brackens’ oeuvre presents rich, nuanced visions of African American life and identity, while also alluding to the complicated histories of labor and migration.
On View in New York
Curated by Legacy Russell, Executive Director & Chief Curator of The Kitchen, ‘The New Bend’ is on view until 2 Apr 2022.
Diedrick Brackens by Alex Hodor-Lee. Courtesy of Jack Shainman Gallery, New York