“They had to pass a law so Black women can wear their hair how they want.” Jada Imani M, photographer, and fine artist, addresses a crowd of nearly 100 at Eckington Hall during an artist talk for her newest exhibition “DEATH TO ASSIMILATION.” “That’s one of the reasons why it had to die, for all of us. I want to control my body, not [people] using it to control me.”
DEATH TO ASSIMILATION is the premiere exhibition for visual artist Jada Imani M. Although a first at mounting curated pieces on the white walls of a gallery, Jada is not a stranger to public display. Her portrait pieces have been featured on bus stations and photo book covers for Meta, the Facebook parent company. Jada’s creative direction has graced everything from album covers to documentary material for some of the DMV’s best musical talents. Jada has even been featured on the cover of this publication; the Bridge. DEATH TO ASSIMILATION acts as Imani M’s combination of all her talents, and her first foray into fine art.
According to Jada, the intention of ‘DEATH TO ASSIMILATION’ is to kill assimilation, adaptation, gentrification, and code-switching. “Not to be graphic, but the saturated red in each piece should remind you of blood, like death“. Black women are discriminated against throughout their lives. Their skin, hairstyles, nails, jewelry, and other aspects of their appearance are viewed as unprofessional. In order to fit into the corporate world we must straighten our hair, and refrain from wearing big jewelry or makeup that “does not look right on Black girls”. By showcasing Black women and nonbinary people with tattoos, locs, afros, piercings, and bold jewelry in an alternative professional fashion she hopes to kill age-old stereotypes.
Jada Imani M plans to sell her art while simultaneously shifting mindsets. Born and raised in the DMV area, Jada Imani M uses her personal experiences and influences throughout her work. Colorful, distorted, creative, and recognizable are some of the ways people have described her images. As a Black woman photographer, she aims to show people how she views the world and wishes the world could be. Consistently inspired by her community, she pushes forward positive visuals of Black people in unique spaces in which they usually would not be seen.
DEATH TO ASSIMILATION will be on display until 1/1/2023 at Eckington Hall. For more information about Jada, visit JadaImaniM.com
