The series pays homage to West African people that were subjugated to the horrors of the Middle Passage. These are mixed media works that consist of painted and quilted panels. Towns uses recurring symbols and motifs to reemphasize their humanity and simultaneously questions how it is possible that others are and were unable to see it. Candles are depicted at the bottom of each quilt serving as a gestural offering to thank their ancestors and give solace. Towns continues to provide space to honor and revere those who came before through his work.
Alma Thomas, White Daisies Rhapsody, 1973, acrylic on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Loreine Wuorinen and Mrs. Elizabeth Johnson, 1981.135
Mayor of Washington D.C., Muriel Bowser, has proclaimed September 22nd as “A Day of Remembrance for Alma W. Thomas” and through this encourages Washingtonians to join in on finding the beauty in everyday light as Ms. Thomas did.
This year marks the 130th anniversary of her birthday, the 55th anniversary of her first solo show, and the 49th anniversary of her Corcoran Gallery of Art retrospective.
An article from Culture Type by Victoria L. Valentine provides additional ways Alma Thomas’s legacy continues to live on as exhibitions, films, and books celebrate her and tell her story.
