Oh, Maker - Darryl DeAngelo Terrell

In the midst of America’s current social and political turbulence, many are looking to the past to grapple with the pressing challenges of today. *Oh, Maker* brings together the work of seven artists who use the act of re-appropriation to examine the deep-rooted traumas embedded in American history, the spirit of rebellion, and the narratives surrounding Black women and families. These artists engage with the complex legacies of American soil, using their art to provoke meaningful conversations about race, identity, and resistance in contemporary society.

The exhibition features Kevin Demary, Andrea Coleman, Mark Allen Blanchard, Shanna Merola, Zakkiyyah Najeebah, Sadie Woods, and Michael Curtis Asbil—artists who work with a diverse range of materials, visual languages, and archives. Through their respective practices, they reclaim and repurpose objects and imagery to craft new narratives, opening a dialogue on the political and social forces that shape American life. Each piece serves as a lens through which viewers can reflect on the intersections of history, culture, and identity, while imagining new possibilities for the future.

At the heart of *Oh, Maker* is the act of re-appropriation—taking objects, images, and materials that have often been loaded with meaning and history and transforming them into tools for new conversations. By doing so, these artists disrupt the traditional power dynamics embedded in these objects and reclaim ownership over narratives that have often been silenced or marginalized. For example, some artists draw from personal and collective archives, weaving together memories, documents, and found materials to reconstruct stories of Black womanhood and familial legacy. Others use materials like textiles, wood, and everyday objects to explore themes of resilience and survival, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary.

In a time when the past and present often feel intertwined, the work in *Oh, Maker* challenges us to confront the cycles of trauma and oppression that have shaped America’s history. Kevin Demary’s work, for example, interrogates the painful legacy of racial violence, using found materials to reflect on the enduring impact of systemic racism. Similarly, Andrea Coleman and Zakkiyyah Najeebah focus on Black women’s experiences, reclaiming their place in historical narratives and asserting the importance of their stories in shaping collective memory.

As we navigate the political tensions and cultural shifts of today’s world, the work of these artists reminds us of the importance of creativity and resilience in the face of adversity. Through their art, they offer new ways of understanding the past while inviting us to reimagine a future that is more just and inclusive. In re-appropriating materials, archives, and visual language, the artists in *Oh, Maker* engage in a radical act of rebellion—one that challenges us to rethink how we understand American history and its impact on the present.

Ultimately, *Oh, Maker* serves as a testament to the power of art to inspire change, foster dialogue, and reshape our understanding of identity, trauma, and resistance in America.