“A Burst of Light (Red)’’ (hair, embodied knowledge, ancestral recall, audacity of survival, bobby pins), by Providence-based Nafis M. White, in the show “Paint the Town Red,’’ at Cade Tompkins Projects, Providence, Nov. 4-Dec. 31.
Edited from the gallery’s description:
“White dives into the depths of the autumnal energy, bathing the gallery in red in honor and celebration of the Goddess Sekhmet, the Warrior, the Sensualist, the Destroyer, the Lover, the Healer.
“In ‘Paint the Town Red,’ White premieres new paintings, works on paper, performance and new iconic Oculus works. As viewers go deeper into the sanctuary, the darkness surrounds, red lighting illuminating the pathways forward, Afro House pulsating through the space. What happens in the dark stains the lips of the revelers. ‘A kiss that never ends, effervescent energy that vibrates towards intellectual climax, this is what I'm after….catharsis, power, partnership and release,’ says White.
“Bodies of work on display also include ‘Hidden Topographies,’ which employs crewel embroidery and needlework to at once obscure and reimagined written text; and ‘God Helps Those Who Help Themselves,’ continuing White’s inquiry into the life story of Emmanuel ‘Manna’ Bernoon, a freed slave who founded Providence’s first restaurant, in 1736, an oyster and ale house. For this work, White sourced local oysters, cleaned and dried the shells and imbued them with gold leaf ‘to honor the beauty, resilience and legacy of a people.’’’
