When artist Aya Ito first moved to Thailand from Japan in 2006, she did not speak the language. Eager to connect with others, she found herself instead using onomatopoeia, or words like crackle, buzz, and smack that are derived from…
Cole is Ghanaian-British and based in London. Her work is bold and life-giving; her path is as inspired by Ghanaian folklore as it is by naturally occurring life and destruction. Her jewelry is experimental and unique, bold and sensuous, traditional and modern.
Against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement and the rising surge of organized white supremacy, the time to evaluate the impact of racism on Black American jewelry and metals artists is past due. I conducted interviews with and surveyed artists, educators, gallerists, and curators over a six-month period in 2020.