In conjunction with Thompson Gallery exhibition Dancing in the Streets: Carnival from Britain, Brazil, and Beyond, Mardi Gras Indian Queen Rukiya Brown will share the importance of the Mardi Gras Indians tradition to the community, on her practice as a Queen, and on her doll-making. Born in Chicago with New Orleans roots, Rukiya Brown is a mixed media artist who began creating dolls as a teenager as a form of self-expression and stress relief. As a Mardi Gras Indian Queen she is an active participant in that African American parading tradition in New Orleans.
Mardi Gras Indians design and hand-sew elaborate suits of beads and feathers in which to appear during Carnival season, a unique form of cultural and artistic expression. In both her doll sculptures and her Carnival suits, Rukiya Brown blends African cultural traditions with contemporary history.
Presented by:
· The Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute
· The OSUL Diversity and Inclusion Committee