M’Dear: Reclaiming Our Seat at the Table

The M’Dear Project is a mul­ti­me­dia exhi­bi­tion curat­ed by cul­tur­al pro­duc­er and film­mak­er Crys­tal Wha­ley, fea­tur­ing a wide breadth of ris­ing women-iden­ti­fied artists whose works, which include paint­ings, pho­tog­ra­phy, tex­tile art, video, audio/​oral pieces and instal­la­tions, hon­or the pow­er of the great Moth­er – the Matri­arch – the ever present fem­i­nine prin­ci­ple cen­tered promi­nent­ly through­out the African diaspora. 

The M’Dear Project address­es access to and denial of agency, expres­sion of iden­ti­ty, while explor­ing the roots of invis­i­bil­i­ty, themes of silence, co-opt­ing and triv­i­al­iz­ing the con­cept of the Great Moth­er for amusement’s sake. Resist­ing stereo­types, M’Dear exists with­in a con­text of the gen­der pow­er dual­i­ty of masculine/​feminine, as she is the matri­arch often giv­ing final coun­sel while impart­ing the lov­ing guide of a nur­tur­ing moth­er. She express­es pow­er and lead­er­ship through her unwa­ver­ing perseverance.

MoCA­DA is one of the 2023 Gov­er­nors Island Arts Orga­ni­za­tions in Residence