AphroChic Magazine: Issue No. 11

THE BLACK FAMILY HOME
lots of art. Collectors of a host of Black figurative
works in painting and sculpture, we hung Sisters by
Mafalda Vasconcelos over one of the sofas. And an
old coat-closet in the room was transformed into a
sculpture garden, featuring pieces by some of our
favorite artists — Jessica Jean-Baptiste, Murjoni
Merriweather — and some discovered at flea markets
and on eBay treasure hunts. Even the lighting had a
role to play: a sculptural table lamp accompanied by
slender, statuesque standing lamps crowned by the
rounded, whimsical shapes of the Nimbus chandelier
– all contributed to the overall feel of the room.
The final space is a retreat. Soft, warm colors,
natural wood grains, wooly and woven textures
and a mix of rounded and edged shapes all quietly
evoke a feeling of femininity, while paintings, sculptures
and busts openly celebrate the image of a Black
woman. The result is comfort – the feeling of being
held – and a statement of Black womanhood in all its
softness and strength, beyond any gaze of judgment,
appropriation or misrecognition. It’s the first room I
like to enter when I come downstairs in the morning.
It’s warm, snuggly and nurturing; the perfect room
for reading a good book, watching movies, or just
sitting and looking out onto the natural splendor
that surrounds us. As with womanism, it’s a space
dedicated to wholeness, restoration and unity, where
the female and male come together in harmony, in
mutual recognition and without competition – and
ultimately a space that promotes love. AC
before
LIGHTING
Pieces from Perigold: Redford 1-Light Armed Sconce,
$360; Nimbus Glass Chandelier, $3,900; Isotope Floor
Lamp, $1,017; Cora Alabaster White Sculpture Table
Lamp from The Home Depot, $356.
24 aphrochic