Darryl DeAngelo Terrell

Box of 24 is a profound exploration of memory, place, and identity, focusing on the often overlooked histories of queer, Black bodies and their connection to physical spaces. In this solo exhibition, Chicago-based artist Derrick Woods-Morrow delves into the significance of spaces historically used for cruising by queer men of color, spanning from the 1970s to the present. His work memorializes these safe, intimate environments, preserving their essence and honoring the individuals who occupied them.

Woods-Morrow's approach is rooted in the physical and symbolic transformation of materials collected from these cruising sites. The exhibition features sand from queer-friendly beaches and parks in New York and New Orleans, along with bricks from the George Washington monument on Chicago’s South Side. These materials are crystallized through an alchemical process that fuses sand and brick into unified objects, symbolizing the merging of past, present, and future. This act of crystallization serves as a powerful metaphor for the preservation of queer, Black histories—often undocumented, but now solidified through art. By transforming these materials, Woods-Morrow bridges the gaps in history and memory, paying homage to those whose stories may have otherwise been forgotten.

Box of 24 presents a collection of these crystallized sand and brick pieces, alongside photographs from iconic queer sites such as Fire Island, New York, and Lincoln Beach, New Orleans. These works are paired with a recorded performance at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, further expanding on themes of identity, geography, and the body’s interaction with space. Through these varied mediums, Woods-Morrow reflects on the profound impact that specific locations have on personal and collective memory, particularly within the context of queer Black experiences.

This exhibition is part of Young Curators, New Ideas V and is featured during Detroit Art Week, offering a platform to engage with these complex narratives. Woods-Morrow's work encourages viewers to consider how spaces influence identity and how the stories of marginalized communities are often tied to geography in subtle, but powerful, ways. Box of 24 not only honors these past spaces and experiences but also opens up a conversation about how we can preserve and memorialize histories that have long been overlooked.