Chris Malone: GATHERING
May 6–July 30, 2023
355 POD Space Gallery
I started doll-making in 1992. When I first moved to Washington D.C, I came upon a shop called Angie’s Doll boutique in Alexandria, VA. The ladies in the shop asked if I was looking for my mother or my girlfriend? I replied that I was a doll maker and asked what I would need to start making dolls.
My recent work has evolved from representative doll making to metaphysical figurative sculptures. I believe my creations come from my unsettled African past, stemming from a history I never learned properly. When my ancestors came to this country chained in the belly of ships as cargo, they were taken away from their language, families, way of life; and this included their Gods. When I am creating my work, I’ll have the exotic fabric, beads, and feathers on a table in front of me and I let the Universe (spirit) guide me in what to do with it. I believe in part that my guidance in creativity is coming from my unknown ancestors… perhaps telling me stories that I have never heard, showing masks, and painted faces that I have never seen? Something mystical and spiritual comes to play that I get to manifest through my work.
Chris Malone is a self taught artist born and raised in the Midwest. Malone’s work is rooted in traditional African doll making but takes it a step further to use it as a medium to explore spirituality and ancestry. Creating these sculptures is a balance between imaginative play and spiritual practice. Malone currently resides in Washington DC. They have exhibited their work nation-wide including in New Orleans, New York, and Washington DC.
About the 355 POD Space Gallery
VisArts and Morguard North American Residential REIT (the REIT) have partnered to provide opportunities for local artists to bring their ideas to life with site-specific art installations at the 355 POD Space Gallery.
About Morguard North American Residential REIT
The REIT is an unincorporated, open-ended real estate investment trust established under and governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario. The Units of the REIT trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol MRG.UN. With a strategic focus on the acquisition of high-quality multi-suite residential properties in Canada and the United States, the REIT maximizes long-term Unit value through active asset and property management. The REIT’s portfolio consists of apartment communities located in Alberta, Ontario, Colorado, Texas, Louisiana, Illinois, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland. For more information, visit the REIT’s website at www.morguard.com.
Image Credit: Chris Malone, Places I’ve Never Been, 2022