Amulets, Islam, and Memory: Channeling Power in Times of Great Need (2020)

Amulet for Sleiman Ali Kysia, Islamic amulet designed after the death of a loved one who was a member of a little-known sect called the Druze. Paper, ink, beads, thread, 6 H x 4 W x .25 D inches.

I facilitated this workshop with a friend and fellow artist, Diana N’Diaye. Diana’s art practice has long included amulets, and after I lost a loved one in May 2020, I asked Diana to help me make something to hold my powerful memories. During the pandemic, knowing that so many people were suffering, we offered an online workshop at the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC to encourage others to make amulets as a form of community empowerment. I wrote an article about the experience for the Phillips Collection blog, Experiment Station.