The Maier Museum of Art
at Randolph College

Alisa Banks – Inheritance

Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College’s 112th Annual Exhibition
Back to Front: Artists’ Books by Women

Alisa Banks, Inheritance Object, 2022, wood (walnut), pigments (soil, indigo, acorn, walnut), handmade paper (cotton, abaca, human hair, dye), synthetic hair, human hair, glass, sterling silver, lily, beeswax, aromatics, 10 ½ x 10 ½ x 4 in., Courtesy of Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Cynthia Sears Collection

Alisa Banks, Inheritance Object, 2022, wood (walnut), pigments (soil, indigo, acorn, walnut), handmade paper (cotton, abaca, human hair, dye), synthetic hair, human hair, glass, sterling silver, lily, beeswax, aromatics, 10 ½ x 10 ½ x 4 in., Courtesy of Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Cynthia Sears Collection

“Inheritance is a celebration and fusion of the tenacity of a culture to document history using non-literary methods. Inheritance speaks to hair day, a custom prevalent in many Black households in the US and throughout Africa and the diaspora, from ancient days to present, where the act of hair grooming is also an opportunity to share history, stories, and traditions.

This project is especially dear to me as it features Ancestor Ink, made from ingredients significant to my Louisiana roots: walnut and acorn, which grow abundantly in the area, and indigo, the first cash crop grown in the South. The soil used in Ancestor Ink was gathered from my ancestral home, a site that I have been seeking to interact with, and was granted access to in 2021. I am just delving into the histories of the place.” ~Alisa Banks

https://www.alisabanks.com/books-home/inheritance

BIOGRAPHY

Artist Alisa Banks

Alisa Banks investigates connections to contemporary culture, her Creole heritage, and the African diaspora through the lenses of home, terrain, and the body, using Southern Louisiana as a point of entry. Her sculptural artist books, writings, and textile collages, which incorporate fibers and found materials, reference traditional craft forms. Her interests include exploring alternative modes of reading and the performative potential of the book. Alisa’s work has been exhibited in Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, and throughout the US, and is housed in several private and public collections, including the Smithsonian Institution, the US Library of Congress, The Schomburg Center, and The British Library. Alisa holds a B.S. degree in Medical Laboratory Science from Oklahoma State University and an M.F.A. degree from Texas Woman’s University. She lives in Dallas, TX.