Black Brilliance: The Language of Jewelry in Black & Southern Culture
What is it?
This project is a brief exploration of how jewelry has profoundly influenced and given voice to Black culture, particularly in the American South. Through this study, I look into our heritage, whether consciously or inadvertently, as we assert our identities without uttering a single word. We adorn ourselves with a different array of chains, jewels, beads, and stones, not just as a fashion statement but also as a means of representation, security, status, celebration, memorializing, and various other forms of expression.
Black people have always been at the forefront; whether recognized or not, of this form of self-expression. In the 80s and 90s, a generation of Black entertainers and athletes popularised bold statement jewelry, often commissioning custom-made, extravagantly embellished pieces, as traditional jewelers failed to cater to their unique tastes and forms of self-expression.
Chains, in particular, have forged a strong connection of representation and status within the Black community. From the chains of slavery to the contemporary chains of incarceration and generational poverty, this symbol, with its history of oppression and exclusivity, has evolved into a modern-day allegory for the American Dream. Simultaneously, it subtly binds us to the historical heritage of African Kings and Queens and their choices in adorning themselves for reasons of status and association.
Our Adornments not only tell the story of who we are now but also barter a connection to our heritage.
