of labor & love
2024.
collage on 100% cotton.
water-based pigment inks and dyes, thread, blessing notes, family cloth, hand-dyed cotton.
Collection of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture
Aliana was inspired by a profound connection with Elizabeth Talford Scott after a heartfelt phone interview with her mother on December 18th and a nostalgic visit to her childhood home on December 19th; this piece is a unique documentation of love, sacred objects, and ancestry. At its heart, it features an early 1990s photograph of Aliana alongside her great-grandmother, Grace (whom she is named after), with her sewing machine from the 1920s collaged below them. Titled "of labor & love," this artwork serves as a meditation on gratitude, spanning generations and honoring the enduring legacy we leave behind. It speaks to the hard labor of preserving ourselves, our careers, and our craft. It captures our everyday contributions to our own healing and legacy, emphasizing the importance of cherishing the past, valuing the present, and nurturing a vision of hope for the future.
All imagery in this work is a collection of family archives and photographs of relevant objects taken by the artist.
