By Cassandra Lopez
The Philadelphia Tribune
https://www.phillytrib.com/
The African American Museum in Philadelphia presents “Demond Melancon: As Any Means Are Necessary,” one of two new exhibitions recently opened in the msueum. Based in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Big Chief Demond Melancon of the Young Seminole Hunters creates massive, glass-beaded suits as a Black Masker.
“The African American Museum in Philadelphia is thrilled to launch two new exciting and visually stunning exhibitions this March,” Dr. Ashley Jordan, president and CEO of AAMP, said. “Over the coming months we look forward to offering engaging and specialized programming specific to each exhibition that will allow visitors to interact with and reflect on these exhibitions in a meaningful way.”
“Big Chief Demond’s work is such a celebration of not just African culture, [but also] African-American culture and Indigenous culture. It brings all of these things together in a beautiful way with this beading work,” Dejay Duckett, vice president of Curatorial Services at AAMP, said.
Melancon works solely with a needle and thread to sew glass beads onto canvas. He began this practice in 1992 when he first became part of the Black Masking Culture of New Orleans, a culture whose roots are woven through more than two centuries of history.
“This exhibition connects AAMP and our communities to work and an artist that they may not have had knowledge about before,” Duckett said. “This work is very prevalent in New Orleans, but outside of that culture, a lot of people aren’t familiar with Black Masking. AAMP is here to spotlight all facets of African and African-American culture.”
Melancon’s suits are sculptural forms based on the size of his body which are composed of intricate, hand-sewn beadwork revealing a collective visual narrative. In 2017, Melancon pioneered an emerging contemporary art practice using the same beading techniques he’s been refining over the past 30 years in the Black Masking Culture. Earlier this year, Melancon was awarded The Gibbes Museum and Society 1858’s Prize for Contemporary Southern Art.
As part of opening weekend, Melancon led gallery talks on March 22, giving visitors the opportunity to ask questions about his process and inspiration behind the work.
“My vision was to show people that I’m a contemporary artist outside of just being a Black Masking Indian in New Orleans,” he said. “I’m trying to relay messages through portraiture and paintings with the bead work, the same way you would with paper.
“Being an artist, it’s not hard for me to try to challenge the galleries and challenge the status quo and see if I can be what people think is art and not art.”
As a glimpse behind the curtain, AAMP recreated Melancon’s studio in one of the galleries. Visitors can see how his studio is set up, how he makes his pieces and what adorns his walls.
“I’m hoping [the audience] can experience the same uplifting spirit and feeling that I feel when I do that work,” Melancon shared, “something that can help them in their everyday life and that can help them see that it’s all love.”
This traveling exhibition was organized by the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art at the College of Charleston in South Carolina.
“Demond Melancon: As Any Means Are Necessary” is on view through July 27.
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