“Snap It Up” is a collection of paintings dedicated to my observations of my grandmother during her stages of Alzheimers. These works narrate recollections of my mother, aunt, and family interacting with my grandmother as caretakers and extensions of her maternal presence. The exhibition also underscores the tethering of black families to their maternal domestic spaces and how those domestic spaces are sacred against the tentacles of Neo-colonialism. The colors are palettes of primaries and earth tones. Neutral colors will be present in the documents supporting the context of hand-wrought work. My themes are discovery, faith, and black familial resiliency.
The display will consist of stretched and un stretched paintings. I aim to reimagine the BOX 13 gallery as a fragmented timeline of intimate events documenting the recollections of my grandmother’s experience while receiving support.
The paintings, artifacts – archival items, and “fabric family” paintings are reflections of my pastimes growing up in and around my grandmother’s home. Engulfed with discovery, the work weaves in and out of my maternal histories and intimate moments I always found unique. This installation consists of several extensions. Documents of faith, like church programs, family reunion programs, books with discourse on faith, politics, education, and black liberation, will all be correlated. These are notions I believe shaped my ethos as an artist.
Mitchell Reece (born 1990) is a Houston-based graphic designer, educator, and
interdisciplinary artist. He is a graduate of Prairie View A&M University and the School of Visual
Arts. During his studies, he began his practice of narrating the histories and intimate
experiences of his family. As a social practice, Mitchell examines infrastructural shifts of
historically Black neighborhoods in Houston, TX. Currently, he lectures in the Digital Media Arts
Department at Prairie View A&M University. Mitchell has exhibited his work at Prairie View A&M
University, Texas Southern University, Martha’s Contemporary, SanMan Studios, and BOX 13
ArtSpace. He spoke at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Artist in Dialogue.
Website: mitchellreece.com
Instagram: @asiaticyouth