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Montserrat Navarro

Professor Sean Russell

ART 160

24 October 2021

Ekua Holmes: Paper Stories, Layered Dreams

From July 17, 2021 until January 23, 2022, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston welcomes

the Art of Ekua Holmes: Paper Stories, Layered Dreams. Immediately upon entering the online

exhibit, the viewer is welcomed with bursting colors of vibrant orange, yellow and red tones. As

you approach the art works carefully you notice the bold letters, pieces of newspapers and the

small details that bring together a powerful overall message. Ekua born in Roxbury, Boston,

describes her history where her grandmother, “nana” would have her cut pieces of paper to keep

her entertained. From that point on she developed a passion for art. Having her work exhibited in

the Museum of Fine Arts is so special to her because when she started her art journey, her class

would go visit it every Saturday morning. She expresses her childhood through her art for

children and viewers all over the world to

understand and relate to.

The first piece of work I noticed was

the main header portrayed in the Paper

Stories Exhibit, Ekua Holmes, Golden, 2009.

This illustration depicts a young, colored girl

with red sneakers to match her red coat. The

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background looks like a bright yellow path with greenery and a vivid blue sky. When I examined

the picture closely I noticed the collage of newspaper pieces that blended in the background with

acrylic paint on paper. Visually, I noticed lines that added texture to her pants, the circle-shaped

beads that held her hair together and the square shapes recreating the shape of buildings on the

other side of the path.The artist, Ekua Holmes uses her work to explore themes of childhood,

memory, family bonds and resilience. She created art that children could relate to and

understand. Influenced by Holmes’ personal life experiences and connections, her artistic vision

reveals stories of love, determination and the Black community.

The second piece of work that stood out to me was Dance 2016. This beautiful image

shows a black woman with her arms spread and a dress that overflows the length of her body.

The color scheme used was vibrant shades of yellow, red, and orange with darker colors such as

purple and black for contrast. Without any sign of facial expression from the woman, the image

still gives off a joyful, empowering moment. Holmes’ exhibition focuses on her award-winning

children’s book illustration. The background shares

music notes and the shape of a bright yellow sun,

almost as if the woman was performing and

shining. This piece stood out to me because of the

powerful message and the positivity this piece

radiated to me. Looking at it screamed freedom and

happiness. From the music note details, to the color

contrast, the entire piece lets the viewer embrace

the positivity of the Black community, their talents

and freedom.
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The third piece, Precarious, 2017, illustrates a young boy reading in a colorful room full

of books and the world map. From a mixture of colors varying from soft yellow tones to

midnight blue and shades of brown. Since children are being targeted for this artwork, the image

motivates children to read and educate themselves. She

uses a collage of found and painted papers to put the

image together. The content of the image clearly depicts a

boy reading with a distorted aspect that allows children to

be entertained and relate. The image itself only shows the

viewer visually one story but as you begin to notice

details, the focus on the child’s face, you begin to develop

awareness of his environment and it opens the doors to

the story of his community and beyond. Holmes uses a

various amount of shapes from lines to emphasize the wallpaper, the texture of books and the

wooden floors. Her goal was to create a three-dimensional art that tells a story by starting with an

individual and radiates out into the community. She mentions in her interview that she wants to

“honor and elevate” her neighborhood. She shows the life of so many through her own eyes.

From the first gallery review to this final one, I have learned to piece apart the elements

of an art work and to put it together and understand the overall theme. Her art stands out because

at first there's one person being represented yet that one person carries history and the story

transcends into the history of African-American’s story in America. It’s important for Ekua that

her story is representative of something other than her own personal experience that others can

relate to. Her art feels like home, comfortable and understanding. From a woman singing, to a
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young girl running and young boy reading she demonstrates her passion for storytelling and the

Black community.