POSTPONED – NEW DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON.

The Art Gallery of Hamilton and the Afro Canadian Caribbean Association are pleased to welcome author and artist Malene Barnett for a discussion about her new book, Crafted Kinship: Inside the Creative Practices of Contemporary Black Caribbean Makers. 

Four years in the making, Crafted Kinship is a vibrant celebration of over 60 contemporary Black Caribbean artists who are reshaping the boundaries of art and design. Through powerful interviews and striking photography, this book immerses readers in a rich tapestry of multidisciplinary creativity, from bold ceramics to intricate textiles. In conversation with Karen Cater (Co-Founder of Black Artists’ Network and Dialogue), Barnett will delve into stories of identity, Black womanhood and manhood, and the complex legacies of migration and diaspora. Each artist featured connects heritage with innovation in ways that captivate and inspire.

2:00-3:30 PM Artist Talk
3:30-4:00 PM Book signing

Karen Carter
Karen is a cultural sector executive who enjoys working in creative and educational environments. She has over 20 years of experience working and volunteering in a range of arts, culture and heritage settings in Toronto. 

Karen is co-founder of Black Artists’ Network and Dialogue (BAND), the organization dedicated to the promotion of Black artists in Canada and abroad. As part of her varied experience, Karen was a member of the Leadership Team for the Imagine a Toronto…Strategies for a Creative City report in 2006. She has also worked as a cultural consultant for the Department of Canadian Heritage as well as with the City of Toronto as Museum Administrator for the Toronto Museum Project. 

She is currently the Executive Director at Heritage Toronto, a City of Toronto agency responsible for heritage education and promotion. 

Malene Djenaba Barnett
Malene is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist and textile surface designer, and the founder of the Black Artists + Designers Guild, a global platform and community of independent Black makers In 2024, Malene released her first book “Crafted Kinship: Inside the Creative Practices of Contemporary Black Caribbean Makers” which includes interviews with over 60 artists of Caribbean heritage, taking readers on an important journey through the world of Black Caribbean creativity. Malene’s art reflects her African Caribbean heritage, building on her ancestral legacy of mark-making as a visual identity, and has been exhibited at galleries and museums throughout the United States. Her art and design work has also been featured in major publications such as the New York Times, Architectural Digest, and Galerie Magazine. Malene is a Fulbrighter, gives talks nationally, and publishes work raising awareness of Caribbean makers and ceramic art traditions of the Black diaspora. When she’s not traveling the world researching Black diasporic aesthetics, Malene resides in Brooklyn, New York. 

Get the book: www.malenebarnett.com 

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