Morrow’s dolls and mixed media sculptures are true characters and personas taking shape and form as small sculptures approximately 1 ½ to 2 ft tall. Experience them.
November 19, 2021 — January 2, 2022
As a culmination of her residency at moCa, Joyce Morrow Jones presents Black Butterfly, a collection of works that use textiles and found materials to explore cultural traditions from across the world, most often those of the African Diaspora.
Influenced by her Jamaican and African heritage, Morrow Jones’s work acts as a mode of visual communication to share the stories of her ancestors. Vibrantly colorful textiles, including Kente cloth and Ankara fabric, reflect traditions, evoke emotion, and spark memories, underscoring the messages of each artwork’s narrative to shape the viewing experience. In her work, Morrow Jones gives voice to her forbearers, exploring what it means to tell a story from the past and connecting a physical object to the passing of time.
Black Butterfly highlights the strength and resilience born out of adversity, a parallel to the Deniece Williams song from which it draws inspiration.
Morning light, silken dream to flight
As the darkness gave way to dawn
You’ve survived, now your moment has arrived
Now your dream has finally been born
Black butterfly, sailed across the waters
Tell your sons and daughters
What the struggle brings
Black Butterfly, set the skies on fire
Rise up even higher
So the ageless winds of time can catch your wings
– Deniece Williams
2021/11/19 - 2022/01/22
Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland
11400 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106