100 Years After the Original, ‘The New Brownies’ Book’ Revives a Beloved Children’s Publication for Black Youth

Lavett Ballard, “Best Friends & Blue Magic.” All images © the artists, courtesy of Chronicle Books, shared with permission

In 1920, sociologist and activist W.E.B. Du Bois published the first issue of The Brownies’ Book, a “monthly magazine for children of the sun.” He invited celebrated Black creatives to contribute to the periodical, reaching out to artists, songwriters, authors, and poets—Langston Hughes’ first published poems even appeared in the magazine. In his call for entries, Du Bois encouraged the highest quality writing, photography, illustration, and more, “so that Black children will know that they are thought about and LOVED.”

A century later, the project has been revived as an anthology by Du Bois scholar Dr. Karida L. Brown and artist and children’s book creator Charly Palmer. The New Brownies’ Book: A Love Letter to Black Families, published by Chronicle Books and designed by Kieron Lewis, showcases work by contemporary Black artists and writers who celebrate the extraordinary lives and imaginations of children.

Vivid portraits, collages, and photographs accompany essays and creative writing by dozens of contributors, expressing memories, love, and joy for moments spanning the everyday to the extraordinary. From memories of time spent together to lessons learned to hopes for the future, the messages aim to inspire young Black people to be true to themselves, follow their dreams, and harness the power of love and family.

Alongside new contributions, the tome also includes selections from the original publication, including nine poems by Langston Hughes, plus an excerpt from the last published poem by Ntozake Shange. Find your copy on Bookshop.

 

Jamaal Barber, “Because This Is a Dream”

April Harrison, “Community Prayer”

Charly Palmer, “Make Me Wanna Holla”

Alfred Conteh, “Neveah”

Lynthia Edwards, “Sassy Mouth”

Tokie Rome-Taylor, “Scout”

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In Danym Kwon’s Vibrant Paintings, Domestic Objects Transform Into Portals to Other Times and Places

“Lean On Me” (2023), acrylic, acrylic gouache on canvas, 35.75 x 25.5 inches. All images © Danym Kwon, shared with permission, courtesy of Hashimoto Contemporary

Circling the surfaces of vessels or layered onto stacks of folded laundry, the scenes in Danym Kwon’s paintings evoke memories and emotions of togetherness and home. “The images I paint are all taken from everyday life, but through the use of pastel colors and surrealistic staging, they are transformed into more special scenes, recorded and cherished more dearly,” the artist tells Colossal ahead of her forthcoming solo exhibition at Hashimoto Contemporary, A Soft Day.

Kwon is drawn to calming portrayals of comforting, common sights. After a challenging period in her life, she feels it’s important to convey vitality and brightness, explaining:

I was diagnosed with cancer in my early thirties, just a year after giving birth to my second child. Through these hardships, I found solace in the comfort provided by surroundings. I found immense gratitude and peace in the trees and flowers, and sometimes in the quiet sight of my child sleeping. These moments were fleeting, but they gave me great energy, and I wanted to remember them.

Influenced by traditional Korean folk and still life painting—known as Chaekgado—Kwon incorporates everyday objects like vases or books into idealized landscapes where the empty backgrounds may be interpreted as infinitely dimensional spaces. “I place scenes that I want to remember or that have given me warm inspiration into domestic objects like bowls or piles of laundry,” she says. Inside containers or on the creases of fabrics, people walk hand-in-hand, a child swims or tinkers, or small cars travel through verdant landscapes, giving the impression of parallel time periods and moving through different dimensions.

The motif of a tiny home repeats throughout Kwon’s paintings, which she describes as an important element. “Seeing a house standing alone on a vast land reminds me of myself and my family living in America as immigrants,” she says. “The house sometimes represents me and sometimes my family… Sometimes, we are so consumed by our busy lives that we overlook precious moments. I hope that through my work, people can find a moment of comfort and cherish the valuable moments in life.”

A Soft Day runs January 6 to 27 at Hashimoto Contemporary’s new Minnesota Street location in San Francisco. Kwon’s work is also currently included in Lone Splendor at Paradigm Gallery + Studio in Philadelphia, which continues through January 7. See more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

 

“Cold But Cozy” (2022), acrylic gouache on canvas, 28.5 x 28.5 inches

“Flowers Whisper” (2023), acrylic, acrylic gouache on canvas, 46 x 18 inches

“I Wish You Are…” (2023), acrylic gouache on canvas, 31.5 x 31.5 inches

“Listening to You” (2023), acrylic, acrylic gouache on canvas, 25.5 x 35.75 inches

“The Season of You, My Dear” (2023), acrylic gouache on canvas, 46 x 107.5 inches

Detail of “The Season of You, My Dear”

“You Smiled, and Sparkling Light Shined on the Water” (2023), acrylic gouache on canvas, 46 x 35.75 inches

Detail of “You Smiled, and Sparkling Light Shined on the Water”

“Driving Through the Summer” (2023), acrylic gouache on canvas, 28.5 x 28.5 inches

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In the Game ‘Nego,’ Fit as Many Cats as You Can into a Tight Space

All images courtesy of Yuka Morii

From cardboard boxes to climbing up inside Christmas trees to lounging around entire islands, cats the world over have a penchant for taking up space. Japanese sculptor and author Yuka Morii has created a table game inspired by felines’ need to stretch, loaf, and nap in any available spot. Titled “Nego,” a play on the Japanese word for cat, neko, and the popular game of “Go,” the object is simply to fit the most cats on the board by taking turns placing them onto a small grid. Cat owners will know, however, that the real object of the game might be preventing mischievous paws from swiping pieces onto the floor one by one.

See more on Morii’s website and Instagram. (via Core77)

 

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Light Undulates Through Delicate Sheets of Glass in Ben Young’s Sculptural Seascapes

“Hidden Layers” (2023). Laminated float glass, cast concrete, stainless steel, and white bronze, 22 x 16 x 8 inches. All images © Ben Young, courtesy of Chesterfield Gallery, shared with permission

Crystal-clear layers of aqua-tinted glass form cross-sections of deep oceans and dramatic geology in Ben Young’s sculptures (previously). Continuing his exploration of the relationship between humans and the natural world, the artist combines materials typically associated with industry and construction, like concrete, steel, and laminated float glass, into undulating shorelines and seascapes.

New pieces in Young’s forthcoming solo exhibition Delicate Space at Chesterfield Gallery appear like preternaturally still, miniaturized wedges of the earth, plucked from the surface and deposited onto pedestals or into bronze frames. “Water, a recurring subject for me, with its ceaseless journey, serves as the central subject for this exhibition,” the artist says in a statement. “As water flows through landscapes, carves valleys, and traverses ecosystems, it embodies nature’s tenacity, always seeking balance.”

Delicate Space runs from January 6 to 31 at Chesterfield Gallery in New York City, and you can find more on Young’s website and Instagram.

 

Detail of “Hidden Layers”

“Tidal Balance” (2023), laminated float glass, cast concrete, and stainless steel (base), 15 x 7 x 7 inches

“Guidance” (2023), laminated float glass, cast concrete, stainless steel, and white bronze, 26 x 11 x 10 inches

Detail of “Guidance”

Works in ‘Delicate Space’

“Dance of Balance” (2023), laminated float glass, cast concrete, and stainless steel, 26 x 24 x 5 inches

“Continuum” (2023), laminated float glass, cast concrete, and stainless steel, 15 x 16 x 5 inches

“Altered Perspective” (2023), laminated float glass, cast concrete, and stainless steel, 16 x 22 x 5 inches

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More than 300,000 Roman Numerals Extend into Eternity in Emmanuelle Moreaux’s Vibrant Installation

“100 colors no.50 ‘SERPENTI'” (2023), BVLGARI SERPENTI 75 Years of Infinite Tales Exhibition, Tokyo, Japan. All images © Emmanuelle Moreaux, shared with permission

French architect and artist Emmanuelle Moureaux unveiled a vibrant, seemingly infinite room in Tokyo by to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Bulgari’s iconic coiled jewelry designs. The 50th work in the artist’s 100 colors series (previously), “SERPENTI” reflects timelessness and eternity through elaborate repetition and eternity through elaborate repetition, gradient hues, and a mirrors that transform a single corridor into a never-ending view.

Reflecting the brand’s roots in Rome, Moureaux installed more than 347,000 Roman numerals from 1 to 100—or I to C—onto 100 large, transparent panels, which are cut out in the middle so visitors can walk inside. The numerals are meticulously laid out on a grid to create an endless effect, increasing and changing color the further one ventures into the artwork.

See more on Moureaux’s website and Instagram.

 

  

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Otherworldly Plants Sprout Colorful Stems and Blooms in Kaori Kurihara’s Incredibly Detailed Ceramics

“Clown verdoyant” (2023). All images © Kaori Kurihara, shared with permission

Elegant petals, scalloped fans, and seed-like textures coat the Kaori Kurihara’s whimsical ceramic sculptures (previously). She incorporates delicate botanical details with eccentric forms, melding realism with fiction. “I try to associate imaginary plants with a more realistic feeling, so I observe more consciously the environment in which they grow,” Kurihara tells Colossal. She also grows different types of plants from seed in order to observe and record details as they grow. “The aim is to create something that looks more alive and closer to life,” she adds.

Kurihara’s work is featured in the forthcoming book Ceramic Artists on Creative Processes, scheduled for release in February from Prestel. Pre-order your copy on Bookshop, and explore more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

 

Detail of “Clown verdoyant”

“Collectionneur de silence” (2023)

“En réponse au claire de lune” (2023)

Detail of “En réponse au claire de lune”

“Hug Me Quick” (2023)

Left: Detail of “Collectionneur de silence.” Right: Detail of “Hug Me Quick”

“Danseuse de boîte à musique” (2023)

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