The Union for Contemporary Art presents a new solo exhibit, Angela Drakeford:Homecoming, opening July 11th. Installation artist and sculptor Drakeford examines the healing power of plants and the home garden as a sanctuary of healing and comfort.
Building on personal memories, and a palette of real and artificial plants, period furniture, textiles and other domestic ephemera, Drakeford provides a psychological oasis; enhancing the setting with digital media to create an immersive sensory experience.
Drakeford sees her exhibition as an “act of resistance,” and a “mental health practice,” providing a healing respite from the current “hyper-policed” traumas of racial prejudice.
The installation is promoted as an immersive exhibit, and visitors are invited to take advantage of the setting; to relax and as Drakeford says: “I want the exhibition to be a gift, a place for lingering and taking up space . . . I think of the exhibition as an invitation to be in your body.”
Homecomingis curated by Nicole J. Caruth and organized in conjunction with Native Omaha Days (July 29–August 5), a biennial homecoming event celebrating the memories, culture, and community spirit of North Omaha.
The opening reception will take place Thursday, July 11, from 6 to 8 pm. Coordinated creative writing and community yoga events are scheduled during the exhibition run. Check the website at u-ca.org for dates and times.