RECLAIM

RECLAIM BSL 2018 LOOKBOOK BY ALLIYAH A

BSL RECLAIM COMMITTEE: KIAMANI WILSON HADIYYAH GRAVES ANTWAIN GOLSON ADDISON CONN LILLIAN ALONZO MERCEDES DAVIS TRAVIS GRANT ALLIYAH ALLEN

C O N T E N TS ABOUT THE VEIL L I B E R AT I O N ASCEND A R T I S T N OT E S P E CI A L T H A N KS

THE BSL AIMS TO PRESENT AN ART EXHIBITION CENTERED AROUND BEAUTY OF THE BLACK SKIN AND BODY. ACROSS THE AFRICAN DIASPORA--MELANIN FILLED SKIN DEFINES THE ATTENTION AND PERSPECTIVE THAT IS TAKEN BY THE EXTERNAL WORLD. HISTORICALLY AND PRESENTLY, THAT SAME PERSPECTIVE HAS BEEN USED TO OPPRESS AND OBJECTIFY BLACK BODIES TO VIOLENCE AND BONDAGE.

IN RESPONSE TO SUCH BRUTALITY, BSL IS PRODUCING AN EXHIBITION THAT RECLAIMS THE BLACK BODY TO GENERATE PRIDE, LOVE, AND GRATITUDE. IN OUR PERFORMANCE AND GLORIFICATION OF BEAUTIFUL AND LIVELY BLACK SKIN, BSL AIMS TO MAKE A CULTURAL IMPACT ON HAVERFORD COLLEGE AND BEYOND WITH OUR EXHIBITION.

MODELS addison conn aisha alex bernas amy zamora antwain golson aszana lopez-bell bereket abate camille samples chasm obi chinyere udokporo cristian espinoza david zegeye deborah ekwale devin salmon diamond henry diana striplet fatoumata sylla gabe pascal hadiyyah graves ian ogolla jahnel williams jasmine stanton julian de jongh kalaina thorne kareem brown ke’son bullock-brown kiamani wilson kymon harrington lauren herelle lillian alonzo lourdes taylor mayra lopez

mecca harris mercedes davis michael bueno nadia delisfort nick john nolan julien nyla robinson o’shanna golson praxedes quintana rachael bacchus racheline corley robert bramble rudy hernadez ryan griffin sabea evans safiyyah riddle shaleia thompson shantal taverns sierra zareck stephanie histon talia scott taylor mcclain titi bekele tosin alliyu travis grant tsion storm tyler manley

THE

VEIL

“After the Egyptian and Indian, the Greek and Roman, the Teuton and Mongolian, the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world, -- a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his twoness, -- an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.�

- W.E.B DUBOIS, SOULS OF BLACK FOLK

In many ways, this exhibition builds off of the twoness that DuBois’s shows that the black body quarrels with. The black skin has always been seen as a problem and as a result has been exploited. Stolen from homes and abused for labor, the black body has been historicized and reduced to the other in mainstream archives.

However, as more black minds, souls, and spirits have become aware of such injustices, there has been a move to save and ultimately reclaim the body. Instead of falling into the traps and holds of these stereotypes and unwavering portrayals, BSL is reinventing how we approach such, through the power of performance, photography, exhibition, and fashion. Through such a beautiful combination of art, we are taking control of these depictions by staging sections of the veil, liberation, and ascend in efforts to empower ourselves and glorify the array of shades, cultures, moods, and presences that the black students and those who stand in solidarity with us, bring forth.

Which, in turn, will result in combating the long and unrelenting feelings of “we do not belong”.

they’ve been telling me since birth fight little black girl fight work little black girl work win little black girl win love sing dance create as I step into the sun and let water flow through me and fall to the supporting earth with the air flowing throughout my broken pieces I learn more I listen now.

I see.

LIBERATION

To RECLAIM we must appreciate the ability and will to fight. Black students have historically and presently found a way to stand together. In the creative spirit of resistance, art, love, and unity we have taken control and collectively found a means of letting our truths shine through. In and out of this bubble of our campus, we face oppressions worldwide. However, our representation of the Africana diaspora, culture, and history proves that we have pushed past the confines of the colonizer, to define and taste liberation on our terms.

she sees me she loves me my sister my friend her bones keep us alive her love fosters a spirit one with suns and moons consistent with fire thank her and see her too

we come alive in midst of darkness we wear our skin as armor with pride smooth out the edges golden specs intertwined in the magic your truth will forever set you free

ASCEND

ARTIST NOTE T O B E A B L E T O W O R K O N T H I S P R O J E C T H A S T R U LY B E E N A N I N C R E D I B L E O P P O R T U N I T Y. I T I S D I F F I C U LT F O R S T U D E N T S T O TA P I N T O T H E I R C R E AT I V E E N E R G Y O N C A M P U S . H O W E V E R , I A M E X C I T E D T O G R A D U AT E K N O W I N G T H AT W E H A V E B E E N A B L E T O C A P T U R E S U C H A N I M P O R TA N T M O M E N T I N T I M E . B L A C K S T U D E N T S A R E R E A L I Z I N G T H AT T H E Y C A N F I G H T A G A I N S T T H E S T I F L I N G O P P R E S S I O N S A N D S E T B A C K S I N A R A N G E O F W AY S .

THE COLOR AND LIGHT IN THESE PHOTOS SHOULD REFLECT T H AT S T R U G G L E A N D J O U R N E Y. T O M Y F E L L O W B L A C K S T U D E N T S , I H O P E T H AT T H E S E P H O T O S F E E D Y O U R S P I R I T S A N D F I R E T H E PA S S I O N S Y O U H A V E M O V I N G F O R W A R D . R E C L A I M Y O U R I D E N T I T Y. S H O W W H O Y O U A R E . S TAY S T R O N G . S TAY B L A C K .

WITH LOVE & LIGHT A L L I YA H

alliyah a

PHOTOGRAPHY & DESIGN

Special Thanks: The BSL Board Hadiyyah Graves, Rachael Bacchus, Fatoumata Sylla - Make Up Artists Kiamani Wilson, Travis Grant, Antwain Golson - Body Paint Artists Mike Elias James Weissinger & Noemí Fernandez Students Council RMJ Fund

REFERENCES: SOULS OF BLACK FOLK - WEB DUBOIS Photography & Poetry - Alliyah Allen