Ric'kisha Taylor
Gleaming
Gleaming presents a visual study of personal history and identity with soft, bedazzled collages.
- February 6 - 27, 2025
- Opening: Thursday, February 6, 6:00 — 8:00pm
Shiny things have always played a role in Ric’kisha Taylor’s life—hair accessories, DAX grease, her mother’s glittery debit cards. Now Taylor’s montages use the allure of luster to explore deeper, often painful themes, such as the avoidance of intimacy and cultural assimilation. In Gleaming, beauty and vulnerability coexist, prompting reflections on societal expectations and personal experiences.
Taylor draws from a range of influences—including the Maroon people, descendants of Africans who freed themselves from slavery, and wildlife species in her home state of Florida. Her multimedia works integrate photo-imagery with intricate peyote stitching used by Indigenous beaders as well as sewing techniques learned from Black elders. These processes offer a way to reflect on the past, tapping into collective memories and cultural narratives to speak on both individual and communal levels.
Gleaming showcases elements of Black diaspora culture, such as music videos, books, and fashion, as Taylor considers what it means to be a Black womxn navigating the sophisticated nature of belonging and self-expression.
About the Artist
Ric’kisha Taylor is a multidisciplinary artist born and raised in Miami, FL. Taylor graduated from Cornish College of the Arts and has exhibited her work at the Tacoma Art Museum, Cornish Alumni Gallery, and Fred Hutchinson Center, among others. She currently resides in Seattle and works with Wa Na Wari to co-develop art practices alongside restorative justice work in the community.