Heaven is a muddy riverbed : Diedrick Brackens / Diedrick Brackens ; texts by Suzanne Isken, Holly Jerger, TK Smith, and Derrick Austin.

Los Angeles : Craft Contemporary, [2022]

©2022

77, [1] pages : color illustrations ; 23 cm

"Published on the occasion of: Diedrick Brackens: heaven is a muddy riverbed, January 30-May 8, 2022"--Colophon.

"Known primarily for his narrative, figurative, tapestry weavings that reference real life events and allegories, this intimate survey exhibition examines the use of the catfish motif in Diedrick Brackens' weavings and poetry. Since 2017, the catfish has been an enduring, multi-dimensional symbol in Brackens' creative practice. It first emerged as a memorial to three young Black men who drowned while in police custody outside Brackens' hometown of Mexia, Texas, in 1981. With time, the catfish's presence has become more fluid - it may be protector or prey, a sacred presence, a guide... Brackens' weavings and poetry are churning waterways for the catfish and all it represents, reclaiming the catfish for himself and other Black Americans. By bringing his weavings and poetry together, the exhibition navigates the full breadth of this important emblem at the heart of Brackens' prolific creative practice"--publisher's description.

English

May 02, 2022