image of two female figures seeming to gaze at each other; L figure has shoulder-length hair, parted in the center, and wears a red sleeveless shirt, arms crossed over chest; R figure wears hair in pony tail with a shaded sleeveless shirt; both figures have decorative paper hand-stitched skirts; circular elements in white pigment with blue and gold decorative floral pattern in center, all overlap image of figures; muted green background

%C2%A9 Delita Martin

Between Sisters, 2018

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Delita Martin’s colorful works combine printmaking, drawing, and painting to celebrate African American women as icons of strength and community. Finding inspiration in oral traditions and vintage and family photographs, Martin’s work explores the art of storytelling. By depicting her subjects as matriarchal symbols, she offers greater understanding and appreciation for the role of African American women in their families and communities. Her most recent body of work, the series "Between Spirits and Sisters," is inspired by the Sande society of West Africa’s Mende people, an exclusive community of women that prepares Mende girls for their transition into womanhood.

“In this work, I am also exploring the different signs and symbols that help define the space the women reside in. . . . This body of work transitions the women and their place of residence into a spiritual realm, where the symbolism is less defined, the shapes are more organic, and the icons are left for the viewer to ponder and creating a space for the women to be birthed into.”
—Delita Martin, 2018

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Details
Title
Between Sisters
Artist Life
born 1972
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2019.35.2
Provenance
The artist, Huffman, Texas; [Galerie Myrtis, Baltimore]; sold to MIA, 2019.
Curator Approved

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image of two female figures seeming to gaze at each other; L figure has shoulder-length hair, parted in the center, and wears a red sleeveless shirt, arms crossed over chest; R figure wears hair in pony tail with a shaded sleeveless shirt; both figures have decorative paper hand-stitched skirts; circular elements in white pigment with blue and gold decorative floral pattern in center, all overlap image of figures; muted green background

© Delita Martin

Because of © restrictions, we can only show you a small image of this artwork.