WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF MOTHERHOOD?
IS IT THE JOY THAT, AS WOMEN ARE OFTEN TOLD, CAN ONLY. COME FROM RAISING CHILDREN? IS IT AWE AT CREATING LIFE? IS IT PURPOSE? HOW ABOUT CHOICE, AS LAWMAKERS STRIP WOMEN OF THEIR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS? LONELINESS THAT COMES WITH POSTPARTUM DEPRESSIONNN FOR SO MANY? OR SACRIFICE, GIVEN THE HIGH RATE OF MATERNAL MORTALITY FOR BLACK WOMEN?
IN THIS SOLO EXHIBITION, CULTURAL PRODUCER AND ARTIST, KAYRAJAY, ALLOWS US TO BEAR WITNESS TO HER JOURNEY TO MOTHERHOOD. FOR KAYRAJAY, BECOMING A MOTHER MEANT RISKING HER LIFE AND LIVELIHOOD; IT MEANT UPENDING THE WORL SHE HAD BUILT FOR HERSELF, FORCING HER TO WALK AWAY FROM THE CAREER OF HER DREAMS AND THE IDEA OF ROMANTIC PARTNERSHIP SHE HAD HOPED FOR.
“MUVAHOOD" IS ANN HONEST AND DEEP EXPRESSION OF THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF LIFE, AND THE EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL POWER OF BECOMING A MOTHER. THROUGH PHOTOS, DIARY ENTRIES, AND A FILM IN THREE PARTS, WE EXPERIENCE THE REMNANTS OF CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, THE YEARNING FOR LOVE AND PARTNERSHIP, DREAMS LOST, AND DREAMS REBORN. WE ARE OFFERED THE VULNERABILITY OF A YOUNG SINGLE MOTHER, SIMULTANEOUSLY FEELING ALL EYES ARE ON HER YET FEELING COMPLETELY ALONE REMINISCING ON TEAR-SOAKED MEMORIES AND SWEET, TENDER MOMENTS WITH HER BABY BOY.
IN THE GALLERIES, A DISORIENTING WORLD FILLED WITH BOTH JOY AND SADNESS, IS KAYRAJAY'S "MUVAHOOD": A JOURNEY BETWEEN THE NOT YET AND THE NO LONGER, INVITING US TO EXPLORE MOTHERHOOD AS THE QUINTESSENTIAL LIMINAL SPACE.
-Dejá Aaliyah Belardo, Curator
RELATED PROGRAMMING:
Opening Reception
August 31, 4-9 pm
Artist/Curator Talk during the reception
5:30 pm
Life Planning Vision Board Workshop
For Women
Sept. 7, 12, 18 w/group reception 9/27
w/facilitator Leone Williams
Empowered Motherhood
Liberation + Wellness
Sept. 22, 2 pm - 4:30 pm
Hosted by Greater Changes w/facilitators Tarik McMillan, LPC and Tamara Mohammed, LPC
Kayra J. Clouden, also known as KAYRAJAY, is an Artist from St. Croix, U.S Virgin Islands where she is currently based. Since graduating from the University of New Haven with a B.A. in Digital Media and B.S. in T.V/Video Production, Kayra has curated a unique career between the entertainment realms of television and digital media.
Kayra’s most notable contributions is her role as Development Producer at Antoinette Media, Associate Producer across Paramount Global's hit franchise show Love and Hip-Hop as well as VH1’s Family Reunion & VH1’s Couple’s Retreat, former Development Assistant at MTV/VH1, & former Associate Producer at Jezebel (G/O Media).
Independently, Kayra serves as Creator and Executive Producer of the award-winning digital series ADULTIN’ on YouTube and curator of the budding non-profit: 4 DA BM'S - A Safe Space to be a Baby Mama in Peace. When Kayra is not creating for television and the digital streets, you can find her pursuing a slew of other of creative ventures including music, art, modeling, public speaking, acting, photography, DJ-ing, traveling around the world and being a mommy to her son, Koa.
Dejá Belardo, (she, they) is a curator and painter based in New York City. They were born and raised in St.Croix, U.S Virgin Islands and studied Political Science and Writing at Loyola University New Orleans and currently completing a degree in Art History and Visual Culture at NYU.
Their diverse cultural background influences their commitment to the social and cultural power of art. The duality of being an artist and an arts professional allows Dejá to have a dynamic knowledge of how to serve the best interests and growing needs of artists. A combination of museum and private gallery experience has shaped a well rounded understanding and vision of contemporary arts and culture. Deja's goal as a curator is to support boundary pushing artists as they establish themselves in the art historical canon, especially those who have been historically marginalized.
Currently, they hold the position of Assistant Curator, Visual Art and Civic Programs at The Shed, NYC. Dejá's professional experience has included major arts institutions in New York City like the Whitney Museum of American Art, Pace Gallery and they also completed the Museum Professionals Seminar with The Studio Museum in Harlem. They have participated in jury panels for residencies, spoke in public program panels and have worked on independent projects with various emerging artists, galleries and non profits in the Caribbean and New York and across the U.S, as well as maintaining a studio practice of their own.