Until we achieve a more equitable society, it is imperative that we create spaces of inclusion and safety—for all—within our communities.
After a summer of violence against Black people, the continuing marches for Black Lives Matter, and the ongoing discussions regarding systemic and institutional racism, the works of Mildred Howard in Sanctum provide such a safe space.
In Mildred Howard’s Sanctum, you are invited to enter into Look Through To The Other-Side, the glass house that viewers see as they cross the threshold into the installation. Throughout are sculptures, representing the Black domestic space: a roller with lips, a black plaster hand holding a plaid lunchbox, framed pictures of family members, and a large tapestry. Walking through Howard’s installation asks the viewer to slow down and take refuge—something that we all need to remind ourselves during these trying times.
A secular relief from the day-to-day trials of living as a person of color, Sanctum offers a haven of domestic safety where the normalcy and beauty of Black lives are elevated and respected.
