Holding, 2022
Wood, wire, acrylic, ink, fabric, and paper
8 1/8 x 9 7/8 x 1 1/8 in.
20.5 x 25 x 3 cm
How much weight can we hold? How much is our own; how much belongs to others? In Holding, Valerie Asiimwe Amani affixes, threads, and rests all that we carry to, through, and on a matte surface representing our bodies. The shapes and forms of the sculpture communicate a progression of trust and vulnerability alongside an accommodation of boundaries that enable us to share life, experiences, and love with one another. Holding’s materiality suggests that a tenderness contextualized by firmness is necessary for us to undergo these transformations.