​SEWN FROM RESISTANCE

CHICAGO | ARC GALLERY

Exhibition dates: March 6 - 28, 2025

 

SEWN FROM RESISTANCE: Deconstructing Black Disability Narratives in America is a site-specific, multi-sensory installation by Jill Wells that critically examines the intersection of Black and Disability histories within the American context. This work challenges stereotypical portrayals of Black disability identities while celebrating the resilience and resistance embedded within these lived experiences. Through a fusion of installation, painting, sound, and tactile sculpture, this exhibition engages sensory elements that shape how individuals' access and engage with information.

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​The installation features two central objects: an all-black 1958 Kenmore convertible sewing machine, symbolizing labor and leisure, and a set of black-and-white justice scales representing equity and knowledge. Alongside shadowboxed Braille works, blacked-out shelves with banned books, and hundreds of 3D-printed butterflies, the exhibit amplifies voices and stories often erased from mainstream discourse, sparking dialogue on systemic oppression and the tensions between societal structures and individual agency. Drawing from her Black genealogical research, Wells combines personal experiences with narratives from Black disability activists to honor their crucial roles in shaping the Civil Rights and Disability Rights Movements, creating a space for reflection and reconciliation.

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More on SEWN FROM RESISTANCE @ ARC Gallery + Chicago Gallery News

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