Armisey N. Smith explores sexuality as a women of color in Sugared Walls

(I Believe in Miracles, by Armisey Smith. 2016, mixed media, 10 x 8 x 2)

Contact Person: Celene Ryan

Artist Representative

Cell: 347-834-5284


celeneryan@gmail.com 


Armisey N. Smith explores sexuality as a women of color in Sugared Walls

At the Living Incubator Performance Space {LIPS}

July 29 – August 26, 2016

NEWARK, NJ: Armisey Smith presents 34 new sculptures in a solo-exhibition titled Sugared Walls at Living Incubator Performance Space {LIPS} in Newark, New Jersey. The exhibition opens with a reception on July 29th at 7:00 PM and will be on view through August 26.

Sugared Walls explores the range and depth of sexuality as a woman of color via 34 wall mounted vagina sculptures. The series attempts to dispel traditional visual notions of vaginas; the pristine, virginal, oversexualized, menopausal and pre-pubescent. Each piece represents diverse emotional, physical and magical facets of this complex series of muscles that ultimately can wield both great joy and pain.

Smith’s mixed media sculptures incorporate materials like glass, shells, beads, brown sugar, dried flowers to elicit various responses and interactions with the pieces. As with any visual cues, participants will be drawn to a pieces or pieces that personally resonate with them. It is the artists’ desire to connect with women of color activating or appending their own sexuality.

Smith writes, “Strength as a woman is divine. Sometimes there is vulnerability, but the strength is always ready to bubble to the surface. As a woman artist - particularly a woman of color artist, it is difficult to navigate multi-layered realms of racism, sexism, homophobia, etc., but you push through it to become a more evolved person. The paint brush, canvas, pencils, charcoal, etc., is the place to express feelings - to place it back into the universe with the hope of forgiving others and oneself.”

Armisey Smith will be presenting an artist talk in conjunction with "Sugared Walls" at {LIPS} on Friday, August 26th from 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM.

Armisey Smith, a native of Brooklyn, New York, received a BFA in Illustration from Parsons School of Design and a MPS in Arts and Cultural Management from Pratt Institute. Her work has been exhibited in galleries throughout the tri-state area and Smith has been the lead artist on several pubic art mural projects in New Jersey. In addition, Smith is an arts educator, illustrator and curator. She currently lives in Newark, New Jersey.

{LIPS}: Living Incubator Performance Space is located inside the Gateway Project Spaces, at 2 Gateway Center in Newark, New Jersey.

For images and more information contact Celene Ryan at celeneryan@gmail.com.