Maxwell Emcays: “New Bedford: Our Woven Story”
Chicago artist, Maxwell Emcays, seeks to explore the role that textiles play in not only identity, but the economy and social fabric of our community past and present. Emcays’s work uses visual inspiration from the forms of the African Baobab tree and Wampanoag Wetu structures, and is created using over 300 pieces of recycled textiles collected among New Bedford’s community. A special thanks to all the local residents who provided the artist with meaningful and personal fabric pieces he used to create this artwork.
Our Woven Story is on display free and open to the public at the intersection of Route 18 and Union Street in New Bedford and is intended for visitors to walk around and through the three entrances, as well as use the space underneath for small gatherings or pop ups.
DATMA thanks the many individuals, businesses, foundations, and government resources that helped us bring Our Woven Story to New Bedford: New Bedford Massachusetts Cultural Council, Mass Development, New Bedford Education Foundation, NORPEL, Signarama in Raynham, New Bedford Economic Development Council (NBEDC), New Bedford Creative, the Hope Foundation, and many generous individuals who gave in honor of DATMA’s Co-Founder, Roger Mandle.
Maxwell Emcays is a Chicago based multidisciplinary creative who began his journey creating digitally born work, knowing a t-shirt as his only canvas. While attending The University Of Illinois he explored the relationship between meaning as it pertains to context. The t-shirt presented itself as an allegory that references this. His work seeks to navigate the bounds of meaning. His multi-layered work strives to create dialog around these institutionalized barriers while presenting a more overt conscious meaning. Stylistically, he references abstract expressionism, pop art and Afrocentrism. He channels his making process and rendering to echo the underlying theme.
Maxwell Emcays is also a philanthropist, an author of 4 children’s books, runs mentoring in a juvenile detention center, holds 2 patents, does multiple charitable projects and is a full-time Artist focused on art activism. His work has been seen in Miami Art Basel, Chicago galleries, the DuSable Museum, private collections and highlighted on NBC’s “Making a Difference”.
More info on Mawell Emcays project can be found here.
MEDIA INQUIRIES
For media inquiries, please contact: Edwina A. Kluender, KLÜNDER Communications [email protected] & PH 1.617.888.5859. Here is our downloadable press release: DATMA Press Release SHELTER2022 Announcement FINAL, 03.22.22
Events
Past event: Bird Nests: Building for the Next Generation with Mass Audubon
August 26th, 2023 2:00pm – 3:00pm New Bedford Free Public Library Meeting Room Bird nest design and construction are as innumerable and unique as their builders. From highly specialized mud-nests of a colony of cliff swallows to the intentional rudimentary nest of the American Robin, nests assure the continuation of future generations. We will explore