moving on up (?) (2022)
In 1975 the American sitcom The Jeffersons premiered on CBS. The show is credited as one of the first portrayals of a successful Black family, as George and Louise were able to move on up from working class Queens to a coveted Manhattan highrise in the sky. But could this upward ascension economically, professionally and socially had occurred without varying degrees of negotiation?
To explore these themes, a series of conversations with eight Black Americans were held around the questions: what does “moving on up” really mean within your lived experience? & — what is your definition of assimilation?
This was a installation that included four parts: garments, video, web and print.
Thank you to: Melanie Blagburn, Angela Hill, Lynsi Burns, Shawn Carter, Ashleigh Axios, Jess Brown, Tony Johnson & Kelly Walters.
Dimension: available upon request.
Medium: Found textiles and embroidery.
Documentation by Dougal Henken.
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