In the years following the Great Depression, and as African Americans moved through the pathways of the Great Migration, Detroit's Paradise Valley became a hotbed of music and the arts. Among the signature sites for live music was the Apex Bar and Lounge. Taylor Childs's family first opened the bar in the 1940s, a time when, as Taylor noted, "Black land ownership was unheard of."
The site remains a staple of Detroit history. Its preservation is a matter of ongoing work, but honoring the site, the family, and that history has been a large part of the motivation that drives Childs's art. Through textiles and sewing, Childs tells stories of her history through "fashion and fiber" which have "always been a part of [our] language. Fiber has stories that can be embedded in it."
Childs's art is the product of countless hours of work. From collages to quilts, she translates family photos, dresses from her grandmother's past, and the broader histories of Detroit into textiles. Fiber is not just a medium, but a narrative vehicle.
"I use fiber as a method to encode my own language," Childs said.
Something torn or scarred might represent Detroit's riots. The plastic wrapping on a piece could be representative of Grandma's desire to preserve her pristine white couches. Childs connects herself and viewers to their histories, their own stories, through tangible texts. These are histories that can be felt.
Those stories will be on display at the LOVE Building in Detroit starting Thursday, Sept. 5 at 6:00 PM, and closing on Sept. 27 with a fashion show. More information can be found on the Detroit Month of Design website.
Hear the full interview with Taylor Childs above.
GUEST ON THIS EPISODE:
- Taylor Childs, textile and fiber artist and the curator of the APEX art installation highlighting Taylor Childs's family bar named the APEX and the nightlife culture in Paradise Valley in Detroit during the 1940s
[Get Stateside on your phone: subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or YouTube Music today.]
