naomi grace
MULTISENSORY MEDICINE MAKER
ARTSY-FARTSY RABBLE ROUSER
I am a neuro-divergent, multisensory artist who explores the interconnectedness of various forms of sensory expression in my artistic practice. The modalities I work with are visual art (painting, collage and mixed media), living sculpture (integrating live plants), storytelling, taste/smell (culinary), text (graphic design) and sound (music).
At the root of all traditional cultural practices, art is a healing modality. Under this current iteration of colonial capitalism, the value of art has been reduced to its monetizable or decorative/entertainment purpose and the sacred, spiritual purpose has in many cases been obscured.
Art is a modality of communication, historical documentation, healing, and a powerful medium to shift and shape collective consciousness. As different people resonate predominantly with different senses, I aim to create work that is multisensory as all senses, thoughts and physical manifestations in this dual plane of reality are existent through vibration. I want to create art that can be experienced in a multitude of ways to facilitate accessibility.
Although the art I create centers around leadership from a feminine, pan-African perspective, art is a unifying force that speaks beyond verbal language and can be experienced inter-culturally. We are all connected and I strive to honor stories, teachings and cultural perspectives of my contemporaries and ancestors that have been either erased or exploited by dominant culture. When we (humans) are denied exploration of the spectrum of our experiences, we cease to know ourselves and our interconnectivity.
My work reclaims art as sacred medicine.
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"It'll All Be Over" by The Supreme Jubilees
performed by (L-R) Morningstar Trickey, Tonye Aganaba, Naomi Grace, 2020
Playlist created for show featured music of Black musicians in Vancouver
Tech-integrated non-alcoholic cocktail list. Each drink is named after a famous Black Canadian woman ancestor. The Menu features QR codes beside drink names linking to corresponding Canadian Encyclopedia page
beverage on the left is the Violet King.
social media marketing campaign prior to event prompted public discussion and the hashtag #rootartshow
[VANCOUVER, January 31, 2020] - During the month of February, two Vancouver-based Black multidisciplinary artists will tell their stories -- rather than their stories being told for them -- in Root; an Afrocentric art experience.
Multidisciplinary artists Tonye Aganaba and Naomi Grace will showcase their work and arouse conversation in an exhibition hosted by Commercial Street Cafe, an East Vancouver neighbourhood stalwart and champion of community arts.
Marking exactly halfway through the United Nations Decade for People of African Descent, Root celebrates Black identity through creative expression, using art to heal and document history.
Root will explore aspects of Black identity on Coast Salish territories honoring art as a vehicle for social change and collective liberation.
Exhibiting through the month of February, Root will kick off with an interactive event which will not only celebrate Black history, but also create and document it by prompting audiences to use the hashtag #rootartshow and examine the following questions:
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What do you wish you knew about Black history?
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How is Blackness defined and honoured?
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How has art contributed to your healing?
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Why is creating art a form of activism?
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How can we use art to reach people who don’t think like we do?
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How have the legacies of Black people enriched your life?
Grace and Aganaba will gather members and allies of Vancouver’s Black community in the cafe to launch the exhibition on Feb. 7 for an evening of collective creativity and fellowship to observe Black History Month here on Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish territories. Featuring live music by Grace, Aganaba and Morningstar Trickey, the sold-out intimate event is a celebration of the senses, combining interactive, collaborative art and live music.
Vancouver Sun article by Harrison Mooney, 2 February 2020
“The focus is to try to get people talking about visibility in the community,” said Grace, who notes that there is a history and legacy of black folks in British Columbia, contrary to an opinion she hears regularly.
