Date of Graduation

8-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts in Art (MFA)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Art

Advisor/Mentor

Drolen, Rebecca A.

Committee Member

Turner, Aaron R.

Second Committee Member

Banton, Caree A.

Third Committee Member

Yoon-Ramirez, Injeong

Fourth Committee Member

Posnak, Adam

Keywords

Archives; BIPOC centered; Collaboration; Community; Fashion; Functionality; Installation; Performance; Playfulness; Transpiration; Vulnerability

Abstract

the footnotes: a love practice delves into the intersection of archival methods, fashion, black style and aesthetic, communal thinking, and transformative experiences to unveil a unique narrative of historical significance and contemporary relevance. Through an interdisciplinary approach, my research explores how Black culture, fashion, and style are deeply intertwined and influence our communities' cultural and social evolution, specifically examining the role of transportation and clothing, as systems or conduits for style diffusion and expression becoming their own unique modes of transporting. I investigate a wide array of archival resources, including vintage fashion magazines, photographs, books and both individual and communal oral histories. These reveal the dynamic evolution of Black fashion from the personal to high fashion, shedding light on its profound influence on the mainstream and the use of “fashion/style” as performance during our everyday. Furthermore, I explore the collaborative efforts between BIPOC designers, artists, and activists, and the clothing’s’ wearers emphasize how collective creativity has challenged systemic barriers and shaped a more inclusive fashion landscape through visual media, performance, textiles, installation, music, and collaboration. Through the paper’s chapters we stuntin’ / My Literary Review, a place to share my poetry and research that captures the voices of those who are also thinking, making, and sharing the theories and this work already in progress. archive is lowercased for the emphasis on black vernacular or AAVE and my research surrounding black linguistics, music, and visual media. Communal Thinking a. k. a. YA DIG is about the work that we made together in NWA culminating into the footnotes: a love practice. Black Style & Aesthetic / I Look Fly I Look Good, is our history, my influences and resources of black fashion from the personal to high fashion, and the continuation of this community project as a contemporary marker for BIPOC to have as a toolkit. Transformative Experiences and/or On Trying underlines my thesis exhibition since my community showed up for me and participated in the performances, installations, and activated the spaces both physically and emotionally. I feel these writings will offer space for me to share what it means to carve out my place through my writing and research, which is not separate from the work but an extension. These words are a collection of the experiences I have endured, generously shared by my collaborators, family, and friends. My goal is to make this work an extension of something for you, us to build upon. Transportation systems, such as the actions of Migration's impact on fashion, serve as a central motif in this research, highlighting how the movement of people across geographical boundaries facilitated the exchange of “fashion” or lifestyle ideas, contributing to the rich tapestry of Black cultural expression. the footnotes are my mode of making by contributing to the ways in which I carve out my place in this work and within my community. By writing in third person, I strive to continue making the legacy of the footnotes: a love practice as a living archive. An archive that can be implemented into. It is meant to be a formed narrative from my lived experiences and research while expanding upon the community I see myself and my artistic practice within. Throughout the work my intention is to make an extension of what this project is, a movement with other members of the art community to make work alongside me in their own fashion to initiate that Black culture is by nature always “putting in that work”. the footnotes are about the skills, resources, lived experiences, and extensions of us, which are the foundations of this ongoing project. Ultimately, this thesis argues that the fusion of archival methodologies with exploring fashion's role in Black culture, collaborative practices, and transportation history offers a comprehensive perspective on the transformative power of style within marginalized communities. It underscores the importance of recognizing and preserving these narratives to appreciate the profound influence Black culture has contributed to the world and the broader sociocultural milieu. Keywords: archives, BIPOC centered, Collaboration, Community, Fashion, Functionality, Installation, Performance, Playfulness, Transpiration, Vulnerability

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