Creatives of Color 04: Dome by Shani Crowe

Installation 04: Dome by Shani Crowe
July 28 – September 18

ARTIST BIO

SHANI CROWE is an interdisciplinary artist who received her BFA in film production from Howard University’s John H. Johnson School of Communications in 2011. Her work is centered on traditional African coiffure, beauty ritual, and how African aesthetics can be re-contextualized to foster connectivity and unity among people of African descent. A life-long Braider, she most notably creates complex braided hairstyles and captures them as photographic portraits. Beyond her portraiture, Shani applies the materials and techniques of braiding to sculpture, performance, fibers, and installation art.

Shani was part of the ensemble selected to represent the US in the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale. Her work and performances have been featured at The Broad in Los Angeles, the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art (MoCADA) in Brooklyn, NY, the Urban Institute of Contemporary Art in Grand Rapids, MI, Columbia University, the International African American Museum in Charleston, SC, and on Saturday Night Live in collaboration with Solange Knowles. She lives and works on Chicago’s south side.

INSTALLATION STATEMENT

DOME is a multi-sensory experience of light, sound, and video that immerses the participant in the mind and vision of the artist. Dome invites you to reflect on the past, create in the present, and project a beautiful future.

ARTIST QUOTE: 

Q: “What are you most excited about in this WNDR Museum Installation?”

“This sculpture concept is something I’ve wanted to create for years, I’ve just been waiting for the right place and time to bring it to life. Now, place and time have created an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and put myself out there in a new way, which I’m excited about.”

“One of my favorite aspects of WNDR Museum is its ability to make tech accessible and interactive, allowing visitors to make a temporary impression on the exhibits themselves. While this Exhibit can be captured in photographs, to fully experience this piece is to be present and engage with it directly.”