MARIA-THERESA FERNANDES

STATEMENT

PLACE AND TRAVEL HAVE ALLOWED FOR DIVERSE SOCIETAL MORES, WHICH OVER TIME HAVE FOUND THEIR WAY INTO A NUMBER OF WORKS. IN 2015 AS A RESULT OF THE DEATH OF FREDDIE GRAY IN BALTIMORE, MD, SEVERAL WORKS INCLUDING BOOK COVERS WERE CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH A POET. THE WORKS INCLUDED TEXT, POETRY, IMAGES RELATING TO THE UNREST. HISTORY, SOCIAL JUSTICE HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OF THE WORK OF THE ARTIST FOR SEVERAL YEARS. PROJECTS INVOLVING THE HOMELESS, PRISONS, VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC HAVE BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE WORK SINCE THE LATE 70S TO PRESENT. THE ARTIST HAS WORKED WITH COMMUNITIES IN THE UK AND THE USA.

CLOTH IS USED AT THE BEGINNING OF LIFE AND AT OUR DEPARTURE IN DEATH. IN SLAVERY TEXTILES WERE USED AS A DISGUISE AND PROTECTION RESEARCH AT THE BEALL-DAWSON HOUSE MUSEUM IN ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, RESULTED IN A SERIES OF WORKS THAT REPRESENT THE YOUNG ANN MARIA WEEMS WHO ESCAPED HER SLAVE CAPTORS DRESSED AS A MAN.

THE RECENT REMOVAL OF MONUMENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND THE BOXED CONFEDERATE MONUMENT ON THE GROUNDS OF THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY COUNCIL IN ROCKVILLE,MD, WAS THE SUBJECT OF A SERIES OF WORKS CREATED IN 2017-2018. 

A  VISIT TO CAPE TOWN, S.AFRICA, IN 2019 SHOWS A BODY OF WORK THAT RELATES TO THE CULTURE, PLACE AND THE PART SLAVERY HAS PLAYED IN COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.NEW TECHNOLOGIES WITH THE USE OF THE LASER CUTTER IS INCORPORATED WITH STITCH AND TEXT.

THE GUN VIOLENCE AND POLICE ACTIONS IN THE U.S.A. HAS RESULTED IN A LARGE WORK THAT ADDRESS THE VICTIMS KILLED RE: 1930s TO PRESENT DAY. THE KILLINGS STILL CONTINUE AND HAUNT US.