Let The Cape Fly

"Astronoir" by Derek Walker

Let The Cape Fly, a solo exhibition by rising CIA senior Derek Walker, will celebrate and explore the durag, a popular hair garment in Black culture that is used to protect hairstyles.

Let The Cape Fly opens during a reception from 6 to 9pm Friday, May 27 in the Art Studio Gallery at Case Western Reserve University, 2215 Adelbert Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. The exhibition will remain on view through June 3.

The history of objects related to Black hair is complex. Walker’s work in Let the Cape Fly celebrates the significance of the durag while also responding to the historical stigmatization the cloth has faced by reclaiming it through the lens of Afrofuturism. These figurative works look toward the future by hinting at space-travel while other works pay homage to his hometown Cleveland.

This exhibition is a culmination project under the Cleveland Institute of Art’s Creativity Works internship. Participating students are tasked with organizing a project of their choice with a community partner over the course of the semester, all while practicing professionalism and gaining knowledge useful to their future career in the arts.

For more information, visit derekwalkerart.com or @derekwalkerart on Instagram. Walker is a Painting major at CIA.

Creativity Works is made possible by the generous support of the Fenn Educational Fund and the G.R. Lincoln Family Foundation.

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