Natasha Marin

Natasha Marin
Natasha Marin

Natasha Marin is a Seattle-based conceptual artist, published poet,[1] and activist with roots in Trinidad and Canada, whose work focuses on people, community, and healing.[2][3][4] She is best known for her project Reparations (website),[5] for her conceptual art project and book called BLACK IMAGINATION,[6][7] and for her book “Black Powerful: Black Voices Reimagine Revolution,”.[8]

Marin was listed as one of 30 women who "Run This City" by Seattle Metropolitan magazine in 2018.[9]

Black Imagination art project

Black Imagination is Marin's conceptual art project and book of the same name. The project began with an art exhibit in January 2018 called “Black Imagination: The States of Matter,” at CORE Gallery in Seattle. That exhibition was followed by two more exhibitions under the Black Imagination moniker: “The (g)Listening,” and “Ritual Objects.” Each of the three audio-based, conceptual art exhibitions in and around Seattle were designed to amplify, center, and hold sacred a diverse sample of Black voices.[3]

Motherland

MOTHERLAND, another in Marin’s Black Imagination series of art exhibitions, was shown at Vermillion Gallery in April 2022.[10] Exploring belonging and displacement, the exhibition included “Cloth Mother,” a sculpture representing spirits and ancestors made of raw cotton, cowry shells, tribal, kente, and Ankara fabrics sourced directly from the motherland.[11] Cloth Mother was created in collaboration with visitors while Marin was artist-in-residence at the Burke Museum.[12]

Black Imagination book

The Black Imagination project also took the form of a book of poetry, reflections, and stories curated by Marin called “BLACK IMAGINATION: Black Voices on Black Futures.” The book was launched at Hugo House in Seattle in January 2020,[13] and published by McSweeney's in February 2020.[14] The book received national attention, with The Paris Review stating, “The thirty-six voices in the book are resonant on their own and deeply powerful when woven together by Marin.”[7] The book was also reviewed in the Los Angeles Review[14] and was recommended by Jason Reynolds on PBS NewsHour.[15] Interviews with Marin about the book were featured on KUOW-FM “Speakers forum: Black voices, origins, and futures,”[16] and on KEXP-FM, “Sound & Vision: Natasha Marin on Black Imaginations,”[2] complete with a playlist of origin stories from the book. The audio version of the book was narrated by Tony and Grammy Award winner Daveed Diggs, and Emmy Award winner Lena Waithe.[17] Gloria Steinem said that she “never experienced an art object like Black Imagination.[18]”

Black Powerful book

“Black Powerful: Black Voices Reimagine Revolution,” Marin’s second book, was published by McSweeney’s in 2022, with cover art by sculptor Vanessa German.[19] The book is a collection of reflections from over one hundred Black voices exploring resilience, joy, and triumphs of Black people everywhere. It was highlighted by City Lights Bookstore in an interview with Marin.[20]

References

  1. ^ Marin, Natasha (2009). "Adolescence, or Through the Fire". Feminist Studies. 35 (3): 523. ISSN 0046-3663. JSTOR 40608389.
  2. ^ a b Fox, Emily (August 30, 2020). "Sound & Vision: Natasha Marin on Black Imaginations". KEXP. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Beason, Tyrone (August 20, 2018). "Joy, peace feed black revolution in artist Natasha Marin's new West Seattle exhibit". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  4. ^ Imperial, Aileen (August 23, 2018). "Artist Natasha Marin flips the script with Black Joy". Crosscut. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  5. ^ Ng, David (August 4, 2016). "Artist launches Reparations website and 'social experiment' on white privilege". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  6. ^ Harrison, Mia (April 24, 2020). "Black Imagination: A tool to decolonize one's mind". Chicago Reader. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Three Possible Worlds". The Paris Review. June 18, 2020.
  8. ^ "Black Powerful: Black Voices Reimagine Revolution". The McSweeney’s Store. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  9. ^ "30 More Women Who Run This City". Seattle Met. January 31, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  10. ^ "Opening April 7, 2022, 5-9pm: Motherland – Natasha Marin : Vermillion :: [email protected] :: 206-709-9797". Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  11. ^ "motherland". blackimagination. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  12. ^ "The Story of the Cowrie Shell". Burke Museum. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  13. ^ "Book Launch: Black Imagination by Natasha Marin". Hugo House. January 24, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  14. ^ a b Spencer, Rochelle (16 September 2020). "Review: BLACK IMAGINATION Curated by Natasha Marin". The Los Angeles Review.
  15. ^ Brown, Jeffrey (June 24, 2020). "Summer reading lists for young people at a time of crisis". PBS News Hour. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  16. ^ O'Brien, John (February 18, 2020). "Speakers forum: Black voices, origins, and futures". KUOW. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  17. ^ Perez, Lexy (2021-03-09). "Daveed Diggs, Lena Waithe to Narrate 'Black Imagination' Audiobook Production". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  18. ^ "Black Imagination: Black Voices on Black Futures". The McSweeney’s Store. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  19. ^ "Black Powerful: Black Voices Reimagine Revolution". The McSweeney’s Store. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  20. ^ "5 Questions with Natasha Marin, Author of Black Powerful: Black Voices Reimagine Revolution". City Lights Booksellers & Publishers. 2022-08-02. Retrieved 2023-02-06.