Hammonds House Museum Kicks Off 2024 with The Fabric Of Our Lives

Hammonds House Museum launches the 2024 exhibition season with renowned artist Precious Lovell’s compelling exploration of the experiences of Black American women and their interconnected relationships in her two new thematic collections, The Fabric Of Our Lives: The Ties That Bind and Ex-Domestication. Curated by the new Hammonds House Museum Artistic Chair Halima Taha, the exhibition opened on January 26 and will be on view through April 14, 2024.

In The Ties That Bind, Lovell presents a collection of 15 aprons, exploring the storytelling potential of fabric and attire, which have both deeply personal and universally resonant themes. The African modesty apron serves as the clothing artifact for this collection. Its function is to maintain the dignity of its wearer. Modesty aprons take many shapes and forms and are made from a variety of materials, including fabric, metal, animal skins, plant fiber or leaves.

Ex-Domestication delves into the present through a historical perspective, shedding light on the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and the enduring impact it has had on societal behaviors. Through this series, Lovell challenges traditional notions of "domestication" associated with servitude and control, using craft traditions typically labeled as "women's work" such as weaving, needlepoint, quilting, and sewing to create thought-provoking pieces. These works captivate the viewer while prompting profound reflections on labor, capitalism, and power.

Through these two bodies of work, Precious Lovell offers a poignant and evocative portrayal of the dignity and experiences of Black American women and their interconnected relationships, inviting audiences to contemplate the complexities of history, identity, and human connection.

Hammonds House Museum is a 501(c)3 arts organization whose mission is to celebrate and share the cultural diversity and important legacy of artists of African descent. The former residence of the late Dr. Otis Thrash Hammonds, a prominent Atlanta physician and passionate arts patron, the museum is in a beautiful Victorian home at 503 Peeples Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30310. Hammonds House Museum’s 2024 exhibitions are supported by a series of workshops, public programs and civic engagement activities which serve as companions to the works and opportunities for the community to have a deeper experience with the art. For updates and information about events throughout the season, to join the mailing list, become a member, or plan your visit, go to the website: hammondshouse.org.

Hammonds House Museum is generously supported by Fulton County Board of Commissioners through the Fulton County Department of Arts and Culture, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, National Performance Network, as well as their donors and members.

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