CHICAGO (Winter 2022) – WILD YAMS: Black Mothers Artist Residency at THE cre.æ.tive ROOM is pleased to announce, “Reflections of Re-Emergence: Symphonic Identity,” a Solo Exhibition featuring WILD YAMS Artist and Gamma Xi Phi Sister Lashon Fouché. “Reflections of Re-Emergence: Symphonic Identity” captures the intersections of Black Female Spectatorship, examined through figural symbology, rigorous mark-making, vibrant color palettes, abstract patterns and portraiture. The exhibition is curated by Founders, Clemenstien Love | Wisdom Baty, with select programming highlighting Fouché’s Studio Practice: Artist Talk, OpenStudios, WorkShops, and Performance Art Interventions. The Opening Reception is Friday, January 7th 6:00pm-8:00pm. The exhibition is on view at THE cre.æ.tive ROOM, from January 7- February 19, 2022.

Fouché stylised elements of color, pattern, and mark-making are multilayered, generating a kinetic flow of evocative feelings-sensibilities. Investigative themes of identity figuration, chromatic relationships and material embellishments add to the complexities of Fouché’s mark-making evolution.  Her current explorations examine non-representational abstractions of the human body and the “Black Gaze.”

Public Programming:

THE cre.æ.tive ROOM | 7034 S Martin Luther King Dr, Chicago, IL 60637

Opening Reception

January 7, 6:00pm-8:00pm Friday

Artist Talk

January 22, Saturday 2:00pm-3:30pm

Moderated By: Wisdom Baty, WILD YAMS Founder

Healing WorkShop Series | Creative Rituals of Divinity & Rootwork

• January 29, Saturday 1:00pm-3:00pm
• February 5, Saturday 1:00pm-3:00pm
• February 12, Saturday 1:00pm-3:00pm

OpenStudio | By Appointment

• January 14, Friday
• January 28, Friday
• February 4, Friday
• February 11, Friday

(Contact Lashon Fouché at 773.663.0270, venisekeys925@gmail.com)

Gallery Hours

January 14 – February 12, Fridays & Saturdays 10:00am-2:00pm

Closing Reception

February 19, 6:00pm-8:00pm Saturday

About: Lashon Fouché

Sister Venise Lashon Keys | Lashon Fouché (b. Chicago, 1991) is a visual artist, writer, performer, and educator. Fouché activates painting, drawing, objects, printmaking, movement, and writing to commune with her ancestors. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Fine Art with an emphasis in Painting and a Certificate in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Fouché’s consistent imagery and studio research on Black hair paraphernalia i.e combs, bobby pins, etc. began as an homage to her parents’ entrepreneurship in the Chicago hair industry. Fouché utilizes black cultural iconography along with elements of color, pattern, mark-making and abstraction to create dialogue centering notions of beauty, heritage, and resistance. Fouché has exhibited throughout Chicago and nationally.

About: WILD YAMS – Black Mothers Artist Studio Residency at THE cre.æ.tive ROOM

Introducing a new Studio Partnership, WILD YAMS Black Mothers Artist Residency at THE cre.æ.tive ROOM. WILD YAMS Artist Residency provides sustainable creativity + equity for Black Mother Artists in Chicago.  THE cre.æ.tive ROOM is an Art | Design collaboratorium studio located on Chicago’s southside. TCR Studio Residency Programs provide space + time to “imagine, create, envision” a distinctive Studio Practice platform for Women Creators. This new ongoing Studio Collaboration serves as a creative incubator for WILD YAMS Black Mothers, providing space, time, community, and entrepreneurial resources. A distinctive unified collaboration, both founded by Black Women with missions committed to equity + access through the Arts on the Southside of Chicago for Black Women Creators.

Media Contact:

Wisdom Baty, Founder: wisdombaty@gmail.com

WILD YAMS: Black Mothers Artist Residency

Clemenstien Love, Founder: info@thecreaetiveroom.com

THE cre.æ.tive ROOM