Thread 2012

Art Historian: Editor: This is “Thread” by Njideka Akunyili Crosby, from 2012. She used mixed media – acrylic, collage, and solvent transfer – on paper. I'm really drawn to the layered textures and the intimate pose of the figure. What's your take on this work? Art Historian: What strikes me is the very process by which Crosby brings together disparate elements – printed photographs, paint, and patterned cloth. The solvent transfer is key here; consider it as an index of global exchange, bringing visual fragments from popular media. How does the interplay of these materials contribute to the piece's meaning, do you think? Editor: Well, the figure seems almost…assembled. The collage elements make me think about identity, maybe fragmented or multiple identities? And the patterned fabric really grounds it in a specific cultural context. Art Historian: Exactly. It prompts questions about consumption. This piece invites us to look closely at the 'how' of image-making. How does this process relate to contemporary Nigerian identity, especially within the global market? Think about how the fabrics and printed media operate within capitalist systems. Is she criticizing or celebrating appropriation? Editor: It seems both critical and celebratory, maybe? Like, she's acknowledging the influence of global culture while still rooting it in something personal and specific. So, it’s about showing a person embedded in globalized making practices. Art Historian: Yes! Considering that it’s called ‘Thread’, it implies a binding material that can stitch together personal histories. We're not just passively viewing a portrait. Instead, it shows how history, commerce and representation can actively weave personal narratives through material processes. I hadn't thought about Crosby’s weaving of history with material before our chat! Editor: I'm really looking at materials and contexts in art differently. Thanks so much.