Damien Davis
Blood Cells (Blackmoors Collage #131), 2018
Laser-cut plexiglass, CNC milled plywood, and stainless steel hardware
36 x 36 inches
Courtesy of the artist
Blood Cells (Blackamoors Collage #131) is informed by personal experiences in children’s hospital waiting rooms, described by Davis as sites of “nostalgia and trauma.” The pseudo-narrative work recalls Davis’ childhood experience of observing his brother’s painful relationship with sickle cell anemia, a serious hereditary blood disorder that disproportionately affects people of African descent. In Blood Cells (Blackamoors Collage #131), Davis uses visual language to document historical representations of race, employing vibrant color, shapes, and hardware to evoke the toys and activities found in children’s waiting rooms, inviting play and wonder into a space that usually breeds fear and anxiety.
