THE AUNTIES
The Aunties is my solo exhibition which was funded by and debuted at Summit Artspace April 2024. This body of work explored the importance of Aunties’ roles in Black and Brown communities. I was selected by local artists and jurors Darius Steward and Gwen Waight for Summit Artspace’s 3rd annual solo exhibition for BIPOC+ (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) artists. This exhibition is funded, in part, by support from the Vernon L. Odom Fund at the Akron Community Foundation. (Text credit - Summit Artspace)
When your parents need help, especially from a feminine perspective, the aunties are often called first. The Aunties serves as a diverse example of what womanhood looks like, which is crucial in a world where the identities of Black women are often placed in small boxes. I created this group of paintings to highlight what “auntie” means by gathering responses from people in the community about their most cherished impression, memory, or insight from an auntie. I then created 14 large acrylic paintings inspired by those narrative.
Under each painting you can find the paired story that informed the artwork. If another source is not stated, it is my own insight. This is how they were displayed together during the run of the exhibit.
EXPANDERS - 36"x36" Acrylic. I was blessed with 4 wonderful Aunties on my Dads side. The most impactful lesson that they have ALL collectively left on me is how to unapologetically EXPAND in any room I’m in. So much patriarchal messaging in our world encourages women to be smaller, quiet and take up as little space as possible. However, these 4 women demonstrated that femininity can be the exact opposite - proud, loud and bold. My Aunties served as role models to me that “Beautiful” isn’t inherently skinny or thin. If they ever had an opinion, they made sure you heard it. If something is funny, you can forget a giggle from them; they’re cackling. In a world that shames women for anything, they showed me how to be shameless.
CONNECTORS - 30"x40" Acrylic. The best memory about an Auntie according to 10-year-old Jaleah Henderson is her Auntie Janice bringing her to visit family in Columbus where they watched TV. This recall is important because it highlights the Auntie figure as a CONNECTOR. This family moment, however mundane, was a gathering of 4 generations of Black women. This was a kind of social setting that neither of Jaleah’s parents could have necessarily facilitated given the varying family dynamics of everyone involved. More so than parents, Aunties often have more time, connections, experiences, energy and drive to keep multiple generations engaged and bonded. Aunties are the glue.
THERAPISTS - 30"x40" Acrylic. “My Aunt Rozsa has always let me talk freely when I’m sad so she’s kind of like my therapist**” – Kaden Daniel. **Of course, only trained and licensed professionals can deliver actual therapy HOWEVER this entry spoke volumes because it came from a 14-year old black boy. This highlights that Auntie figures not only teach us about femininity, they are also helping heal toxic masculinity and fight the stigma on mental illness. This Auntie providing a space for her Black nephew to be soft, vulnerable and honest about his emotions is truly fighting generational curses. This wouldn’t have been so freely shared 50 years ago from the same demographic.
RISK-TAKERS - 30"x40" Acrylic. According to Fallon Sykes, her Aunties taught her that “Scared money, don’t make money!” This highlights how Aunties often encourage us to take risks and be courageous in our ambitions. Parents commonly get stuck on the “safe” route and advising more caution while Aunts serve as a counterweight to that. I think you especially see this from Aunts who never have children of their own. Parenthood has a way of humbling adults and making us more modest. Whether this be wise or not, the wild and fearless Auntie figure frequently serves as a relief to youth who may think that all adults lose their intrepid spirit. Perhaps parents have to worry that if they steer you wrong, your shortcomings will be attributed to their poor parenting. Aunts don’t have that burden and so they can support you chasing a broader horizon.
TEACHERS - 30"x40" Acrylic. “Biggest lesson I learned from an Auntie when I was really young was make sure you come to an agreement before you do anything. This one day I was over her house for probably 10 hours doing all kind of yard work. At the end of the day I said alright Auntie I'm all done. She said alright thank you Lil Joe. I stood there for a minute, I was confused so I asked her if I did everything right? She said yeah it looks great, you can come back over in two weeks if you want to do some more work. I really wasn't trying to be rude but I finally said are you going to pay me? She looked at me sideways and said no I thought you said you like doing yard work Lil Joe? I was PISSED”. -Joe T. Sykes III (Pissed but also smarter from the experience)
ADVOCATES - 30"x40" Acrylic. According to Sharlia Sykes her Auntie would often say “That’s your little red wagon. You can push it or pull it”. This is a metaphor to hold people accountable for their own baggage or responsibilities. It is asserting to the recipient that this is your load to carry, not mine. You can deal with it as you see fit, but regardless you will be the one dealing with it. This highlights the Auntie figure as an advocate for accountability, justice and balance within social boundaries. By holding loved ones accountable, Aunties support our emotional development, mental maturity and combined strength as a whole family unit.
ORATORS - 30"x40" Acrylic. My Aunt Sandy has always been a role model for me on how to say difficult things in a gentle way. I believe this is compounded by the fact that she is only 1 of just 2 female ordained ministers who I know of. Ministry teaches people the power of words and moves followers to be more responsible with how they use them. I think this pairs nicely with her wisdom and communication strengths as a woman in general. I have so many memories of her correcting or “checking” family members through a completely appropriate time/place/manner that was full of grace and poise. She’s also shown me times when it's best to stay silent. I will forever strive to have her level of verbal finesse during times of conflict.
AA BOUL - 30"x40" Acrylic. There are many ways to say Aunt in Lao such as “Na Saao” “Bpaa” or “Aa” If you have an aunt that is on your mother’s side who is younger than your mom, you’d refer her as “na saao”. But if she’s older than your mom, you’d refer her as “bpaa”. If your aunt is on your father’s side, no matter the age, you’d refer to her as “Aa”. If you’re unsure, “bpaa” is acceptable regardless of relation. There are many ways to say aunt—but I only have one aunt in my life that raised me to be the woman I am, and that is Aa Boul.
DISCIPLINARIANS - 30"x40" Acrylic. My Aunt Donna always embodied the spirit of tough love. I never saw her coddling anyone. She would be aggressive, loud and challenging but I NEVER had a doubt in my mind that it was anything besides LOVE. My cousins and I all just knew. If she was pushing you, she was doing it for your own good even if it upset you. Ironically when I asked her daughter Chylece for her favorite photo of her mom, she provided this image of Donna stoically doing her hair despite her cries in protest. I was amazed at how well this image represented my biggest gain from her. Love isn’t always sweet and friendly. Sometimes it's coarse and stern. Both kinds of love are needed.
COMPANIONS - 30"x40" Acrylic. “Aunties have a special bond that hits different from mommies. We’re entrusted with stories and secrets that kids can’t tell their parents. We’re the ones they send a picture to of a rock they found using their parent’s phone. We’re the unlimited supply of cash that we should probably save but spend on the nieces and nephews while telling them not to tell mom or dad. I brush their hair and they brush mine as we complain about their parents together. “Yeah, well that’s your mom,” I’ll mutter with a sigh. Their response is, “Well, that’s your sister.” Parents only wish they could have a bond like ours.” – Anna Koduru
GOURMANDS - 30"x40" Acrylic. My Dad has always been very proud of his cooking and especially his egg sandwiches. No one can tell him anything in the Kitchen but one morning my Aunt Jonetta defied all that. When my Dad asked if she wanted an Egg Sandwich, she confirmed but motioned with her hand like she was holding a spatula: “Just make sure you pop the yolk and push it all the way and evenly to the edge of the egg”. She did the motion a couple of times to be sure he understood. My Dad was clearly annoyed that anyone would dare direct him on his specialty but I LOVED this interaction. It showed me that it’s okay to have high standards and to voice them– especially when it comes to our food!
REALISTS - 30"x40" Acrylic. A core lesson from an Auntie as quoted by Joy Twitty: “You got to put on your Big Girl Draws and handle your business”. This highlights the role of Aunties as REALISTS. During times that we may be tempted to wallow in self- pity or get lazy about our responsibilities, Aunties often show up to deliver a dose of honesty, inspire us to accept the situation as it is and encourage us to deal with things accordingly. Sometimes we just need to hear it said plainly.
EXPLORERS - 30"x40" Acrylic. Several entries to this exhibition included reference to an Auntie during car travel. Keya McLaughlin recalls looking forward to running errands with her Aunties despite the full knowledge that it would result in being in the car for hours. Rozsa Sykes reflected on the impact of an Aunt who demonstrated the value in praying before every car journey. Kayla Sykes explained that one of her Aunts kept a slipper on the dash for easy discipline to misbehaved backseat riders (mostly her own children). While this was intimidating, it also gave her a sense of security. This let her know that no one could hurt her when this Aunt was around. These all demonstrate the role of Auntie as trusted guide especially during transitional states when we are all more vulnerable. In this way, they provide us a safe space to nurture our sense of exploration and adventure. It may start in car rides but it later extends to other states of transition in our life as well.
ADVISORS - 30"x40" Acrylic. When I got my first job at 16 my Aunt Janice gave me a piece of advice that stuck with me: “Work that Job, don’t let that Job Work You”. It sounded good but I wasn’t entirely sure what it meant. When I asked for clarification she said “Start working. You’ll get what I mean soon enough”. This cryptic response proved to be relevant to every job I’ve had since. If you stay watchful, you will always know when a job is not serving you anymore. Keeping this mission statement in mind serves as protection against burnout by ensuring that you are not giving a company an unhealthy portion of yourself; This is a necessary safeguard in any capitalist society but especially one that was built on a history of slavery and exploitation.