Njideka Akunyili Crosby

I Refuse to Be Invisible

Amid an outdoor celebration, a couple dances; the man grasps his partner’s waist as she gazes over her shoulder, making eye contact with the viewer. Much of this image is comprised of collaged, photographic transfers, and the work creates a feeling of being both in the moment and connected to the past.

Akunyili Crosby was born in Nigeria, relocating to the United States as a teenager, and her work acknowledges the complicated exchange between cultures. Her figures wear western clothing, yet the rich patchwork recalls Nigerian textiles. The mosaic-like snapshots are a record of family gatherings, and close inspection of the work’s lower right corner reveals the dancing couple to be the artist and her American husband.

I Refuse to be Invisible blends personal history and cultural references, constructing a prismatic tapestry that acknowledges the complex impact of globalization.