Sanctified
exhibit
2018
African American Cultural Center, University of Illinois Chicago
In 2018 I was the exhibit designer for Sanctified, a traveling exhibition on gay Haitian artist, poet, and performer Assotto Saint. My design emphasized the duality of Saint’s artistry by splitting the site into two main areas: a reflective living room and altar and a theatre dressing room.
In the living room, modeled after Saint’s own one bedroom NYC apartment, visitors pursued materials from Saint’s Schomburg Library collection, including handwritten drafts, appointment books, photos, and other ephemera. In the dressing room, visitors were invited to wear costumes surrounded by photographs of Saint’s performance art.
In the Living Room, Visitors explored ephemera from Saint’s archive in front of a mosaic of images from his NYC studio apartment and a reflective bookshelf altar.
A timeline of major events in three parallel lines: 1) Saint’s live and activism 2) Saint’s major artistic works, and 3) important events in queer and Haitian history.
In the Living Room, Visitors explored ephemera from Saint’s archive in front of a mosaic of images from his NYC studio apartment and a reflective bookshelf altar.
A timeline of major events in three parallel lines: 1) Saint’s live and activism 2) Saint’s major artistic works, and 3) important events in queer and Haitian history.
In the Dressing Room, visitors were invited to dress in costumes and take selfies alongside photographs of Saint performing.
In the Dressing Room, visitors were invited to dress in costumes and take selfies alongside photographs of Saint performing.
In the Dressing Room, visitors were invited to dress in costumes and take selfies alongside photographs of Saint performing.
A mosaic built from Saint’s appointment book, writing drafts, and images of his NYC apartment.