10″x8″; collage, found imagery, personal family archives; 2024. Courtesy of the artist.
COLLAGE ON VIEW
Bria Sterling-Wilson: Joan Poncella
at Waller Gallery in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
14 June-27 July 2024
In this exhibition, Bria Sterling-Wilson seeks to transcend time, longing to be present in the captured moments of family history. Through an amalgamation of archived family photographs, documents, installation, sculpture, and collage pieces, she honors her grandmother, Joan Poncella Sterling.
15″x12″; collage, found imagery, personal family archives; 2024. Courtesy of the artist.
The body of work presented explores themes of home, relationships, religion, disability, and sexuality as a black woman in Baltimore, Maryland during the late 1970s throughout the 1980s. The artist invites viewers to delve into Joan Poncella’s world, to feel the love and the depth of her spirit.
Joan Poncella is a powerful tribute to Bria Sterling-Wilson’s grandmother’s legacy and the rich tapestry of her experiences. Rooted in poise and resilience, this exhibition is a testament to a woman of great pride and unwavering courage. Joan Poncella Sterling has an extraordinary story that deserves to be celebrated and shared.
Bria Sterling Wilson is a photographer and collage artist from Baltimore, Maryland. She she holds a BFA in Photography and Digital Arts from Towson University. She uses found imagery, magazines, newspaper, and fabrics to construct alluring scenes, portraits, and interiors to express the black experience. The artist was part of Kolaj Institute’s Collage Artist Residency: Scotland in September 2022. Her collage, Boudoir, was featured on the back cover of Kolaj 37, where she also had an artist portfolio. Her work as been shown in Sanquhar, Scotland, as well as in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington, DC and Baltimore. Her work has also been featured in BmoreArt Magazine, Contemporary Collage Magazine, Ebony Magazine, and Black Collagists: The Book.
(text adapted from material provided by the artist and the gallery)
INFORMATION
Waller Gallery
2420 North Calvert Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21218 USA
(443) 879-9731
Hours:
Saturday, 1-5PM
and by appointment