NADA New York 2023

LaKela Brown works primarily in sculpture and wall-hanging reliefs that utilize the genre of still life to celebrate Black culture. Brown identifies and selects objects from her life that are strongly associated with Black American culture, ranging from the mundane to the extravagant.

Her Adornment series explores objects that Black people use to decorate themselves. These artifacts, such as doorknocker earrings, are chosen because of their specific and almost exclusive association with Black communities. Brown is interested in why the phenomenon of adornment persists regardless of economic resources and how it can be a form of resistance and participation in cultural expression.