Tawny Chatmon: Sanctuaries of Truth, Dissolution of Lies
Tawny Chatmon (b. 1979, Tokyo) creates evocative, layered portraits that celebrate Black culture and challenge bias. Her work reflects deep research into her own family’s stories—many of her sitters are relatives, including her children—as well as the origins of foods and other objects she depicts. Chatmon considers ancestry, heritage, and heirlooms, centering her practice on people and histories that have been overlooked and misjudged.
Chatmon’s works combine photographic techniques with unexpected processes and materials. The artist finds inspiration in a variety of sources, including early Byzantine mosaics, Gustav Klimt’s gilded portraits, and seventeenth-century Dutch painting. These references appear as painted and papered tiles, gold embellishments, and richly hued backgrounds. She painstakingly collages, stitches, and adorns her prints with three-dimensional embellishments such as fabric, thread, and beads, elevating her subjects and amplifying her works’ magnificent effect.
Organized in close partnership with the artist, this exhibition includes photography-based works, video, and altered found objects by Chatmon from 2019 to the present. In her series “Remnants” (2021–23), “The Redemption” (2018–19), and “Iconography” (2023–present), the artist enshrines her subjects in gilded backgrounds, clothing, and accessories. Two new bodies of work, “The Reconciliation” (2024–present) and “The Restoration” (2024–present), focus on reclaiming food histories and vintage objects. Bringing these series together, the exhibition reveals the depth and evolution of Chatmon’s practice, as her work contributes to a larger, vital narrative about value, truth, and legacy.
Tawny Chatmon: Sanctuaries of Truth, Dissolution of Lies is organized by the National Museum of Women in the Arts. The exhibition is made possible by the Revada Foundation of the Logan Family. Additional support is provided by Jamie Gorelick and Richard Waldhorn and the Sue J. Henry and Carter G. Phillips Exhibition Fund.
Funding for the exhibition catalogue is generously provided by The Deborah Buck Foundation.
For exhibition-related resources, including label transcripts, visit nmwa.org/chatmon.
Non-flash photography is encouraged. Share and tag us on social media: #NMWAnow @WomenInTheArts
Let Him Grow, from the series “The Redemption,” 2019
Acrylic on archival pigment print; Collection of Dr. Aliya and Reginald Browne
And Then She Said “I Never Asked You To Worship Me,” 2020
24k and 12k gold leaf and acrylic on archival pigment print; On loan from Myrtis Bedolla and Alexander Hyman
Chatmon uses a variety of materials in her photography-based practice. Her layered portraits often incorporate precious and semiprecious metals such as gold leaf, which she used here. While Chatmon was initially drawn to gold for its status and symbolism, she became increasingly concerned over its unethical extraction, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She has since switched to using gold-colored paints and pigments in place of genuine gold.
The Light I Seek is Always Within, from the series “Iconography,” 2024–25
Paper, acrylic, and mixed media on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
In the series “Iconography,” inspired by historical icons depicting holy figures, Chatmon presents her subjects—Black children and families—as sacred and worthy of veneration. In this work, a young girl cloaked in gold stands with her hands clasped. Her pose and embellished garment are similar to those seen in Byzantine paintings of saints. For Chatmon, the series honors people who have shaped her life and legacy across generations.
We Are the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For, from the series “Iconography,” 2024–25
Paper, denim, and acrylic on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
Chatmon’s own children often appear as sitters in her work. In this image, her son wears a hoodie rendered in mosaic-inspired collaged paper and denim. Embedded within it is an image of a Black father holding his young child, reflecting tenderness, protection, and responsibility. The garment, which has been stereotyped and vilified when worn by Black boys and men, here becomes a symbol of vulnerability and visibility.
Peace and Joy Are the Birthrights of All Beings, from the series “Remnants,” 2021–22
24k gold leaf, paper, and acrylic on archival pigment print; On loan from Tania and Steve Weiss
This portrait depicts a young girl surrounded by gold spirals, a symbol that appears often in Chatmon’s work. Occurring throughout nature, the spiral can be found in ancient carvings, architecture, and art across civilizations. To the artist, the shape symbolizes creation and transformation. Four birds, mythological messengers between earth and the heavens, also appear alongside the girl. After losing her father to cancer, Chatmon began to see birds as emblems of ancestral connection and guidance.
Blossom, from the series “The Redemption,” 2019
24k gold leaf and acrylic on archival pigment print; Collection of Glenn Kessler and Cynthia Rich
Through her photography, Chatmon aims to create safe and sacred spaces for Black children to see themselves. Her embellished portraits are affirmations of beauty, celebrating her subjects’ hair, features, and style. The artist intends to counter harmful and negative representations of Black culture often communicated by the media. Blossom elevates its young subject, adorning her in gold clothing and jewelry inspired by the “Golden Period” of Gustav Klimt (1862–1918) and surrounding her with colorful, floral-inspired forms.
May His Steps Be Divinely Guided, from the series “Iconography,” 2023–24
24k gold leaf, paper, acrylic, and mixed media on archival pigment print; Collection of Damian W. Wilmot and Yndia S. Lorick-Wilmot
Many of Chatmon’s portraits, particularly those of children, include embellishments in gold, a material that has been used historically to connote importance and value. “There’s a universal understanding that when something is gold, it’s meant to be seen as precious,” Chatmon says. By enveloping her subjects in gilded clothing and backgrounds, Chatmon portrays them as sacred and magnificent.
The Restoration
Works in “The Restoration” feature subjects holding antique and vintage dolls and figurines that originally portrayed racist stereotypes, but which Chatmon has lovingly restored. The artist carefully repaints the face of each doll, removing exaggerated features historically used to caricature Black identity, and reclothes them in garments sewn by her mother. She refinishes other figurines in bronze and photographs Black youths holding them. In Chatmon’s hands, these objects are transformed from symbols of mockery to heirlooms, signifying honor and legacy.
Not Your Blackamoor, from the series “The Restoration,” 2025
Cowrie shells, acrylic, and thread on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art
Chatmon references the Blackamoor figure in several works from her series “The Restoration.” Found in European decorative art from the Early Modern period, a Blackamoor is a visual trope depicting dark-skinned men and women as exoticized servants. The figure is typically positioned as ornamentation, reinforcing outdated racial hierarchies that equate Blackness with subjugation. Chatmon says, “I intend to symbolically reappropriate the Blackamoor, transforming these figures into ancestral relics while reclaiming the Black body.”
Crowned in Memory, from the series “The Restoration,” 2025
Acrylic and thread on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art
The subject of this work wears a hat inspired by the church attire of Chatmon’s grandmother and aunts. Reminiscent of a crown, it is ornamented with antique objects that feature Black figures. A vintage cake topper on the headpiece represents the Black family in a celebratory light. Flanking the couple are two figurines of boys eating watermelon that the artist painted gold. Originally referencing a racist stereotype, here they are enshrined as angelic figures, their placement mirroring the small golden cherubs on the hat’s brim. Botanical motifs, hand-stitched onto the print, symbolize growth.
Held in Sacred Devotion: An Altarpiece, from the series “The Restoration,” 2025
Acrylic and embroidery on archival pigment prints; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
Unstitching the Past, Becoming the Future, from the series “The Restoration,” 2023–25
Glass beads and embroidery on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
Honored and Guarded, from the series “The Restoration,” 2023–25
Glass beads and thread on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
The subject of this portrait, Chatmon’s daughter, holds a restored antique doll, which the artist transformed with delicately painted eyes and lips. It wears a suit of golden fabric sewn by Chatmon’s mother. The sitter is dressed in a complementary black-and-gold jacket covered in brooches inherited from Chatmon’s father and grandparents. Positioned upright in her lap, the now dignified doll—emerging from rewritten histories—becomes an heirloom for a new generation.
Made Whole Again, from the series “The Restoration,” 2023–25
Embroidery on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
In this work, a young girl sits against a landscape borrowed from Jean Honoré Fragonard’s Love as Folly (ca. 1773/76). Chatmon recalls visiting museums with her children and feeling haunted by the negative representation of Black figures in historical artworks, or, more often, their notable absence. The girl seen here fits seamlessly into the eighteenth-century background, though her silver hair extensions and green-tipped nails root her firmly in the present. She holds two dolls, which were produced and found separately, but restored and united by Chatmon.
Black Boy Joy, from the series “The Restoration,” 2025
Embroidery, acrylic, and mixed media on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
We Hold Her Sacred, from the series “The Restoration,” 2025
Embroidery, acrylic, and mixed media on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
This work features a girl holding a cast-iron Mammy doll, which Chatmon painted in a bronze finish. A 3D-printed replica of the figure sits atop the work’s antique frame, replacing a crested eagle that once appeared there. In Chatmon’s hands, a symbol that was originally used to disparage Black Americans is elevated to one of resilience and resistance. The girl’s curly hair is crowned by a beaded headpiece, echoing the embellishment on her dress. The work’s title, We Hold Her Sacred, could refer to the cradled figurine or the young subject herself.
Objects featured in “The Restoration”
“The Restoration” was born out of a desire to remove from circulation racist dolls and figurines, which are still sold today in antique stores, auctions, and online marketplaces. Each time Chatmon encounters one, she purchases it—not as a collector, but with the intention of reclaiming, reinterpreting, and restoring it with dignity. The objects here reflect varying stages of restoration, illuminating the artist’s process and research.
Three of these objects portray a “Mammy” figure, a stereotypical representation of Black women as domestic workers. They are usually depicted with dark brown or black skin and exaggerated features, wearing an apron and head scarf. This caricature perpetuated a false narrative about Black women being submissive and content in servitude. The cast-iron Mammy figurine and doll here show these objects as the artist found them. Mammy Doll Aunt Sally has been restored and named by Chatmon, who tenderly reclothed and repainted it.
The last object, an assemblage of a child atop a carousel horse, can be seen in Chatmon’s work Black Boy Joy (2025). In its original context, the boy was seated on the back of an alligator, a racist depiction of Black children as bait. By removing the child from that context and placing him on a carousel, the work becomes a gesture of reclaimed joy. As a final step, Chatmon finished the object in bronze, a material often used in memorials and monuments.
Mammy figurine, ca. 1940s
Found object in cast iron
Mammy doll, ca. 1960s
Found doll
Mammy Doll Aunt Sally from Unstitching the Past, Becoming the Future, 2023
Found doll with fabric, acrylic paint, and gold brooch
Figurine from Black Boy Joy, 2025
Found objects with bronze finish
All: Courtesy of the artist
Mammy Doll Aunt Sally, 2025
Video, 2 min., 5 sec.
Mammy Doll Dinah, 2025
Video, 2 min., 11 sec.
Black Boy Joy, In Memoriam, 2025
Video, 2 min., 34 sec.
All: Courtesy of the artist
The Reconciliation
“The Reconciliation” examines ingredients and meals that have nourished Black families for centuries. Chatmon’s subjects hold foods—including watermelon and collard greens—that have rich historical contexts and personal associations, but have also been linked to racist stereotypes, shame, and sabotage. Chatmon reclaims and honors these culinary traditions; through her inventive portraiture, she elevates her sitters and the foods they hold. “Food has always played a major role in the lives of Black people, serving not only as nourishment, but also as a means of preservation,” Chatmon says. “This series invites us to return to the table and to keep alive the tradition of family dinners, where stories are shared, wisdom is passed down, and our connections are strengthened.”
Visit nmwa.org/chatmon-audio-guide to hear reflections from the artist’s family members and friends about foods depicted in “The Reconciliation.”
A Symbol of Liberation and Self Reliance, from the series “The Reconciliation,” 2025
Archival pigment print on paper; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
After emancipation, many formerly enslaved people in the southern United States supported themselves by growing and selling watermelon. The fruit represented newfound economic freedom and self-sufficiency for Black communities. Yet that success was met with resistance, violence, and murder. Chatmon says, “This wasn’t just about controlling land or labor, it was about dismantling the possibility of Black prosperity. And so watermelon, once a symbol of survival . . . was twisted into a tool of ridicule.” In this still life, Chatmon gives the fruit a place of honor at the table.
In Honor of Rudy, from the series “The Reconciliation,” 2025
Embroidery and acrylic on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
Visit nmwa.org/chitlins to hear reflections from the artist’s family members and friends about chitterlings (chitlins).
In Honor of Phyllis, from the series “The Reconciliation,” 2025
Embroidery and acrylic on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
Visit nmwa.org/mac-and-cheese to hear reflections from the artist’s family members and friends about macaroni and cheese.
Economic Heritage, from the series “The Reconciliation,” 2024
Embroidery and acrylic on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
In this work, a young Black girl holds a large watermelon in her lap. She wears a red-and-green gown with matching beads in her braided hair; these colors mimic the bright flesh and rind of the melon. Chatmon is aware of the fruit’s association with disparaging depictions of Black people. “At first, I was hesitant to make [this work],” the artist says. “In the wrong hands, an image like this felt unsafe, no matter how lovingly it was made. . . . But I knew this work needed to exist. Not as a stereotype, but as a reclamation.”
In Honor of Pearl, from the series “The Reconciliation,” 2025
Embroidery and acrylic on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
This work celebrates food as generational heritage, paying homage to Chatmon’s family tradition of making buttermilk biscuits. The artist says, “I remember watching my mother knead dough on a flour-dusted counter, the smell of biscuits filling the house while Marvin Gaye or Sade played. She learned from her mother, and I learned by watching her.” The ingredients for biscuits are centered in this composition, arranged like a recipe.
Visit nmwa.org/buttermilk-biscuits to hear reflections from the artist’s family members and friends about biscuits.
All Up in My Kool-Aid, from the series “The Reconciliation,” 2025
Embroidery and acrylic on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
The titles of these two portraits reference the phrase “You all up in my Kool-Aid and don’t even know the flavor,” which calls out a person for not minding their own business. Chatmon says, “For many of us, Kool-Aid represents joy, gathering, summer, and childhood, but it also reflects the deep impact of economic constraint. . . . These works confront the shame that has long surrounded foods associated with limited means and the systemic racism that often shapes food access.” Chatmon’s work unburdens that shame, creating new narratives for younger generations.
And Don’t Even Know The Flavor, from the series “The Reconciliation,” 2025
Embroidery and acrylic on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
Truth Soft-Served, from the series “The Reconciliation,” 2024–25
Embroidery on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
While ice cream is a ubiquitous food in the United States, few know its origins. Chatmon learned that James Hemings, a chef enslaved by Thomas Jefferson, introduced the frozen treat to this country, while another chef, Augustus Jackson, revolutionized its production. The contributions of these two Black men remain largely unrecognized. In this work, a young girl stands on the beach holding an ice cream cone in homage to Hemings and Jackson. Red, white, and blue threads adorn her dress and cover her portrait. In the background, an image of an unraveling American flag is visible.
What’s more American than Vanilla icecream, from the series “The Reconciliation,” 2024–25
Embroidery on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
Here, a woman wears a red gown embroidered with white stars and holds a vanilla ice cream cone. The background figures holding American flags come from an archival photograph of white demonstrators protesting school integration in Little Rock, Arkansas. Chatmon reflected on the history of ice cream and the experiences of Audre Lorde and Maya Angelou, who both wrote about the inaccessibility of the treat for Black people in the segregated South. The work “exposes a recurring pattern in America, where Black Americans have been instrumental in creating cultural staples while also being denied access to them,” Chatmon says.
A Blessed Offering, from the series “The Reconciliation,” 2025
Embroidery and acrylic on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
Visit nmwa.org/black-eyed-peas to hear reflections from the artist’s family members and friends about black-eyed peas.
Don’t Bite the Hand that Feeds You, from the series “The Reconciliation,” 2025
Embroidery and acrylic on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
This diptych portrays multiple generations of a family posing with the ingredients for soup joumou. In Chatmon’s work, food is presented as a symbol of freedom, resilience, and pride for Black communities. Soup joumou is a traditional Haitian dish associated with the country’s long and successful fight for independence from France. In 2021, UNESCO added the dish to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list, recognizing its significance.
Visit nmwa.org/soup-joumou to hear reflections from the artist’s family members and friends about soup joumou.
Soup joumou recipe book, 2025
Recipe written by Fernande Philogene; Courtesy of the artist
Handmade calabash cup and bowl, 2023
Found calabash; Courtesy of the artist
Scattered Fragments, Buried Histories: A Prayer, 2025
Paper, found photographs, silver, and thread; Courtesy of the artist
Reynolds Family recipe book, compiled ca. 1996–97
Courtesy of the artist
That Which is Planted, Shall Become the Harvest, from the series “The Reconciliation,” 2025
3D-printed element, fabric, and floral appliqué on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
Chatmon frequently captures her children as subjects, but here she depicts her mother, Pearl. With a tender expression, she cradles a leafy head of collard greens as one might hold a baby. Enshrined in an ornate golden frame, the sitter and her harvest appear regal. This portrait emphasizes pride in family and the culinary traditions carried from one generation to the next.
Visit nmwa.org/collard-greens to hear reflections from the artist’s family members and friends about collard greens.
Not Buried, Rooted, from the series “The Reconciliation,” 2025
Embroidery on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
Visit nmwa.org/sweet-potatoes to hear reflections from the artist’s family members and friends about sweet potatoes.
In Honor of Effie’s Garden, from the series “The Reconciliation,” 2025
Embroidery on archival pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis
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Tawny Chatmon: Sanctuaries of Truth, Dissolution of Lies
