The Rest of Her Remains 2010

Curator: This striking work is entitled "The Rest of Her Remains" crafted in 2010 by Njideka Akunyili Crosby. She works with a mix of media here, layering painting, collage, and what appears to be transferred imagery on paper. Editor: Oh, wow, there's so much going on; my first impression is this feels like a quiet moment stretched into something almost monumental. Like she's both completely present and floating outside of time. The scale adds to that—it feels intimate, like we're peeking into a very personal space, but also strangely detached. Curator: I think your reading gets right to the heart of Crosby's project, exploring personal and cultural identity through intimate, domestic scenes. Note how the collaged elements— those repeated images in the wallpaper, perhaps—hint at larger social narratives at play, specifically related to postcolonial experience and cultural hybridity. There’s an overlaying of histories. Editor: Absolutely. The room feels layered, not just visually but emotionally. The collaged elements… they're almost like whispers of past lives, maybe echoes of Nigeria mixing with contemporary Western influences. And the figure, resting, almost seems to absorb all those stories. The patterns on the bed almost want to swallow the person into their cultural roots, while they seem in limbo in the room. Curator: The pose also feels significant, doesn't it? The figure is completely relaxed and yet so vulnerable. Consider what it might mean to portray Black rest at a time when it’s both a personal need and a politically charged act. This adds another rich dimension to the art and conversation. Editor: You are absolutely right! It is an introspective pause and resistance that offers a stark contrast in art. Now, do we know anything about her choice of such domestic space rather than the portrait with frontal or more posed settings? Curator: Crosby has stated that her artistic choice is in part biographical. She's drawn to the quiet complexity and tension that shapes such an image between her Nigerian heritage and American experiences. Her focus turns towards liminal places—where these diverse worlds intersect and leave imprints, similar to those layers of photos within the piece. Editor: Yeah, this is definitely one of those pieces that sticks with you. It’s not just visually stunning, but it prompts so many questions about identity, memory, and what it means to truly belong. Curator: Precisely, the work operates in a fascinating tension—offering a deeply personal glimpse, yet simultaneously prompting a broader consideration of cultural forces that shape our understanding of self.