MoAD’s physical building may be closed due to the mandatory shelter-in-place, but you can still get your fill of art and artists of the African Diaspora. Each Wednesday at 1:00 pm PST, join MoAD staff members as we visit some of our favorite artists in their studios to see what they’re currently working on and how their work is changing as a result of the quarantine. This is a rare opportunity to hear from artists directly from their studios.

We will follow all talks with an audience Q&A.

Questioning generalized stereotypes and lack of fair and equal representation of people of colorin art spaces has led artist Alanna Airitam to research critical historical omissions and how those contrived narratives represent and influence succeeding generations. Her photographic series The Golden Age, Crossroads, White Privilege, and individual works such as Take a Look Inside and How to Make a Country ask the viewer to question who they are and how they choose to be seen. Airitam’s portraits and vanitas are photographed in studio with minimal lighting giving the work a painterly quality that captures the attention with beauty to deliver challenging messages.

The Golden Age series is hand-varnished while Crossroads, Take a Look Inside and How to Make a Country are encased in resin and placed in hand-welded frames creating unique objects. All works are produced by the artist in limited editions. Her photographs have been exhibited at Catherine Edelman Gallery in Chicago, Quint Gallery inSan Diego, San Diego Art Institute, Art Miami, Athenaeum Art Center in San Diego, and Candela Gallery in Richmond, Virginia.

Born and raised in Queens, New York, Airitam now resides in Tucson, Arizona.

‍Register here to attend the talk live online