Anina Major—Sunroom Project Space 2022

Anina Major’s exhibition in the Sun Porch comprises sculptural ceramic works and domestic plants representing origins across the African diaspora. Inspired by Alice Walker’s book In Search of Our Mother’s Gardens, Major’s work unearths the narratives of Black communities and their contributions to the land, focusing on the garden as both a symbol of resiliency and a restorative space for courage and care. Her installation explores the preservation of culture and stories of migration while examining the complexities of her Caribbean heritage.

Like Walker, Major traces the roots of her creativity through her maternal lineage, which has persevered despite cultural erasure. Ceramic sculptures resemble woven containers honoring and referencing the weaving practiced by Bahamian women, in particular the artist’s late grandmother. Major’s art explores the island’s colonial history, the commodification of local culture, exploitation of women’s labor by the tourist industry, as well as the undervalued artistry of straw work.

Meet the Artist: Anina Major
Saturday, June 11, 2022

Organized by Senior Curator of Visual Arts Eileen Jeng Lynch, the Sunroom Project Space provides an opportunity for New York-area emerging artists to develop and exhibit a site-specific project as a solo show. The 2022 season features, consecutively, Anina Major, Kevin Quiles Bonilla, Krystal DiFronzo, Heidi Norton, Deep Pool and Amina Ross.