Francesca Lalanne, Load III and Load V
Presented by Sovern in Partnership with Dominique Gallery
Mapping Resiliency and Care
Featuring tunmi da silva, Francesca Lalanne, & K'era Morgan
On view
February 20 - May 8, 2025
Curator’s Notes: Labors of love
In the midst of rising fascism and unprecedented climate collapse, we know there is much work to be done to reclaim a world of possibilities for ourselves, to fight for justice and build just systems. But our existing systems have taught us to push ourselves past our limits and burn out, even as the work we are doing is worthy and urgent.
As we live through a moment in human history where we are less connected to nature’s rhythms than we have ever been, we must reclaim the power of our natural balance, which requires an abundant helping of care.
Each artist in this exhibit brings different medicines to resources ourselves, even as we work to find our way in uncharted waters. We are reminded of the need for softness and rest, for lightness and humor, and to release imperfection and trust our intuition.
In Francesca Lalanne’s work we feel the weight of work not only in the choice of materials — sheets of metal — but in the figures etched in, who are bearing and carrying weights of proportionately large architectural forms. Lalanne acknowledges the figures are engaged in “labors of love”, and she alludes to social work in the single empty file folders behind plexiglass on the backside of each etched metal forms in Load III and Load V.
As Lalanne centers and elevates this important service work, she also invites those engaged in such labors that support others, to remember to rest and care for themselves — as we see peacefully reclined figures within each work as well.
Shifting toward tunmi da silva’s work in the adjacent space, materials are lightweight and light-hearted as she weaves cartoon-like structures with rexlace, a common children’s crafting material, over floatation foam, and suspended by buoy line. Yet the finished pieces we see are da silva’s charmed transmutations of life’s heavier challenges distilled with a tone of sacredness through her creative process. Inspired by her maternal ancestry’s basket weaving and amulet-making traditions, da silva’s work brings love, protection, softness and healing to experiences of trauma and grief.
When we walk into Sovern’s “heart space” where da silva and K’era Morgan’s works are on view, we can see an easy kinship between them — bold palettes, tear drop shaped elements and moments of basket-weaving like brushstroke patterns in Morgan’s striking abstracts. But Morgan’s intuitive, spontaneous approach is a departure from Lalanne’s and da silva’s methodical processes.
Morgan maps her inner landscapes in these Geoglyphs, and in so doing reminds us all of the importance of listening to our own intuition in times of difficulty, and of trusting our instincts. Embracing textures and accidents, Morgan acknowledges that she “…allow[s] these imperfections to reveal new possibilities and highlight the beauty that can be found in life’s challenges or perceived flaws.” This body of work traces Morgan's journey from womanhood to motherhood, as a Black woman, through aerial views of her previously uncharted internal landscapes.
We hope that your journey through these works will encourage you to lean into your softness along with your strength and support that in others as well.
-Nicole Shostak-Sabourian, Artistic Director, Sovern LA
In the midst of rising fascism and unprecedented climate collapse, we know there is much work to be done to reclaim a world of possibilities for ourselves, to fight for justice and build just systems. But our existing systems have taught us to push ourselves past our limits and burn out, even as the work we are doing is worthy and urgent.
As we live through a moment in human history where we are less connected to nature’s rhythms than we have ever been, we must reclaim the power of our natural balance, which requires an abundant helping of care.
Each artist in this exhibit brings different medicines to resources ourselves, even as we work to find our way in uncharted waters. We are reminded of the need for softness and rest, for lightness and humor, and to release imperfection and trust our intuition.
In Francesca Lalanne’s work we feel the weight of work not only in the choice of materials — sheets of metal — but in the figures etched in, who are bearing and carrying weights of proportionately large architectural forms. Lalanne acknowledges the figures are engaged in “labors of love”, and she alludes to social work in the single empty file folders behind plexiglass on the backside of each etched metal forms in Load III and Load V.
As Lalanne centers and elevates this important service work, she also invites those engaged in such labors that support others, to remember to rest and care for themselves — as we see peacefully reclined figures within each work as well.
Shifting toward tunmi da silva’s work in the adjacent space, materials are lightweight and light-hearted as she weaves cartoon-like structures with rexlace, a common children’s crafting material, over floatation foam, and suspended by buoy line. Yet the finished pieces we see are da silva’s charmed transmutations of life’s heavier challenges distilled with a tone of sacredness through her creative process. Inspired by her maternal ancestry’s basket weaving and amulet-making traditions, da silva’s work brings love, protection, softness and healing to experiences of trauma and grief.
When we walk into Sovern’s “heart space” where da silva and K’era Morgan’s works are on view, we can see an easy kinship between them — bold palettes, tear drop shaped elements and moments of basket-weaving like brushstroke patterns in Morgan’s striking abstracts. But Morgan’s intuitive, spontaneous approach is a departure from Lalanne’s and da silva’s methodical processes.
Morgan maps her inner landscapes in these Geoglyphs, and in so doing reminds us all of the importance of listening to our own intuition in times of difficulty, and of trusting our instincts. Embracing textures and accidents, Morgan acknowledges that she “…allow[s] these imperfections to reveal new possibilities and highlight the beauty that can be found in life’s challenges or perceived flaws.” This body of work traces Morgan's journey from womanhood to motherhood, as a Black woman, through aerial views of her previously uncharted internal landscapes.
We hope that your journey through these works will encourage you to lean into your softness along with your strength and support that in others as well.
-Nicole Shostak-Sabourian, Artistic Director, Sovern LA
Catalog
Francesca Lalanne: Francesca Lalanne has built a multidisciplinary practice investigating the relationship between the physical and psychological wounds that impact both our individual and collective experiences. The Los Angeles-based artist weaves together sculpture, installation, and painting into works that illuminate the critical topics of our time. As she exposes the inherent connection between memory, trauma, and place, her viewers understand the growing localized and global concerns regarding shelter, mental health, and labor practices, among other prevailing issues of our contemporary society.
Artist Notes:
Resting My Case prompts a reflection on the social worker's place within the broader narrative of care. This exploration is inspired by my longstanding interest in the individuals who provide human services, especially to vulnerable communities.
The subjects that workers confront are often laden with emotional gravity, and my aim is to convey this weight through my choice of materials.
The work is presented as a three-dimensional rectangle, serving as a portal into the complexities of human services. On one side, I have intricately engraved steel with floating figures, embodying the duality of "work vs. rest." The opposite side features a translucent green plexiglass panel, from which an empty file folder hangs, a poignant symbol of the casework that permeates the profession.
Each piece is suspended from a single cable, visually representing the tension between the act of nurturing others and the necessity of self-care.
Resting My Case prompts a reflection on the social worker's place within the broader narrative of care. This exploration is inspired by my longstanding interest in the individuals who provide human services, especially to vulnerable communities.
The subjects that workers confront are often laden with emotional gravity, and my aim is to convey this weight through my choice of materials.
The work is presented as a three-dimensional rectangle, serving as a portal into the complexities of human services. On one side, I have intricately engraved steel with floating figures, embodying the duality of "work vs. rest." The opposite side features a translucent green plexiglass panel, from which an empty file folder hangs, a poignant symbol of the casework that permeates the profession.
Each piece is suspended from a single cable, visually representing the tension between the act of nurturing others and the necessity of self-care.
"Maison des Esprits" (House Of Spirits)
Engraved oxidized steel
36.5" x 48.5" x 1.75"
2023
$8,000
Engraved oxidized steel
36.5" x 48.5" x 1.75"
2023
$8,000
Load III
Engraved oxidized steel, redwood, screen print on file folder, aluminum rods, plexiglass, stainless steel cable
40" x 30" x 3 1/2"
2022
$10,000
Engraved oxidized steel, redwood, screen print on file folder, aluminum rods, plexiglass, stainless steel cable
40" x 30" x 3 1/2"
2022
$10,000
Load V
Engraved oxidized steel, redwood, screen print on file folder, aluminum rods, plexiglass, stainless steel cable
40" x 30" x 3.5"
2022
$10,000
Engraved oxidized steel, redwood, screen print on file folder, aluminum rods, plexiglass, stainless steel cable
40" x 30" x 3.5"
2022
$10,000
Balance
Engraved oxidized steel, 24k gold leaf
12" x 12" x 1.5"
2025
$2,000
Engraved oxidized steel, 24k gold leaf
12" x 12" x 1.5"
2025
$2,000
Lift
Engraved oxidized steel, 24k gold leaf
12" x 12" x 1.5"
2025
$2,000
Engraved oxidized steel, 24k gold leaf
12" x 12" x 1.5"
2025
$2,000
tunmi da silva: A Nigerian-American artist of Aguda descent based in Los Angeles, CA, da silva is inspired by cultural and religious syncretism, the language of materiality, and the ways in which diasporic people preserve and adapt ancestral traditions to new lands, such as basket weaving and amulet-making. Having lived her entire life in California, da Silva maintains a deep affection for Californian terrains Black feminist histories, and iterations of West Coast hip hop. She draws from a range of other inspirations, including Black feminist texts, Yoruba folklore, family oral histories, and childhood memories. Her work is ultimately concerned with the various perspectives of and on self-absorption.
Canopy
Purple Rexlace and Floatation Foam
16” x 4” x 19”
2023
$2,000
Artist Notes: The Color Purple was a significant story for me in childhood. It was the first cinematic representation of sisterhood that resonated with my lived experience. When I was hard pressed to find affection or attention, my sisters provided. When I was confused by the racism and violence I faced from my non-Black peers, my sisters encouraged my graceful resilience. When I struggled to take pride in my appearance, my sister taught me how to do my make-up, my hair, get fly. When the destructiveness of my parent’s relationship became unbearable, my sisters built sheet forts with me so we could hide from the world and I could let it all out. When I was ready to give up on my life, my dreams, my sisters provided a safe harbor. My sisters have been the greatest loves of my life. This maquette represents the protection and the care that has broke me down, built me up, and carried me through life.
Purple Rexlace and Floatation Foam
16” x 4” x 19”
2023
$2,000
Artist Notes: The Color Purple was a significant story for me in childhood. It was the first cinematic representation of sisterhood that resonated with my lived experience. When I was hard pressed to find affection or attention, my sisters provided. When I was confused by the racism and violence I faced from my non-Black peers, my sisters encouraged my graceful resilience. When I struggled to take pride in my appearance, my sister taught me how to do my make-up, my hair, get fly. When the destructiveness of my parent’s relationship became unbearable, my sisters built sheet forts with me so we could hide from the world and I could let it all out. When I was ready to give up on my life, my dreams, my sisters provided a safe harbor. My sisters have been the greatest loves of my life. This maquette represents the protection and the care that has broke me down, built me up, and carried me through life.
Determined to be More Than Nothing
Green and Brown Rexlace, Flotation Foam
17" x 9" x 15"
2024
$3,700
Artist Notes: Most palm trees are non-native to North America, including the palm tree in front of my childhood home. I remember my dad tending to this tree on Saturday mornings. He systematically cut the tree’s dead leaves so the tree would grow taller. He loved that tree and was proud of its growth over the years. It grew to about 20 ft tall before we lost the house and the new owners cut it down. Palm trees have become an emblem of the American Dream for me. They are ironic symbols of luxury, leisure, and resilience. Here, the tree is animated, like it’s weathering a storm, or dancing in spite of it. The title of this work comes from Saidiya Hartman’s book Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments.
Green and Brown Rexlace, Flotation Foam
17" x 9" x 15"
2024
$3,700
Artist Notes: Most palm trees are non-native to North America, including the palm tree in front of my childhood home. I remember my dad tending to this tree on Saturday mornings. He systematically cut the tree’s dead leaves so the tree would grow taller. He loved that tree and was proud of its growth over the years. It grew to about 20 ft tall before we lost the house and the new owners cut it down. Palm trees have become an emblem of the American Dream for me. They are ironic symbols of luxury, leisure, and resilience. Here, the tree is animated, like it’s weathering a storm, or dancing in spite of it. The title of this work comes from Saidiya Hartman’s book Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments.
Almost There (20lb)
Pink and Black Rexlace, Flotation Foam
5” x 5” x 8”
2024
$800
Artist Notes: The kettlebell vases represent protection from the psychological weight of memory. I’m highly sensitive to my emotions, and it doesn’t take much to get me dysregulated, or for my nervous system to go into overdrive. Though the actual object itself weighs less than a pound, it represents the weight of tension on my body when I’m recalling the pain or grief of certain memories. My full name, Tunmininu, comes from the Yoruba version of Psalm 23:4. Psalm 23:2, “…he leads me beside still waters.” Psalm 23:5, “…my cup overflows.” The nature of the material I’m using is very expansive. When the chemicals react, the solution expands to 2-4 times its size. I pour the solution into silicone cupping therapy cups, and during the reaction, the material overflows the cup, resulting in these flower-like shapes. The flower-like shapes represent little pieces of me. Placing and documenting the pieces in water is my protection ritual, sort of like I’m protecting myself from parts of myself. Comparing the weights to my body weight gives a sense of how much the memory weighs on my head and nervous system.
The black flower-like form hanging by a thread just outside the mouth of the vase is a facetious gesture about my achievement of, and assimilation into conventional womanhood.
Pink and Black Rexlace, Flotation Foam
5” x 5” x 8”
2024
$800
Artist Notes: The kettlebell vases represent protection from the psychological weight of memory. I’m highly sensitive to my emotions, and it doesn’t take much to get me dysregulated, or for my nervous system to go into overdrive. Though the actual object itself weighs less than a pound, it represents the weight of tension on my body when I’m recalling the pain or grief of certain memories. My full name, Tunmininu, comes from the Yoruba version of Psalm 23:4. Psalm 23:2, “…he leads me beside still waters.” Psalm 23:5, “…my cup overflows.” The nature of the material I’m using is very expansive. When the chemicals react, the solution expands to 2-4 times its size. I pour the solution into silicone cupping therapy cups, and during the reaction, the material overflows the cup, resulting in these flower-like shapes. The flower-like shapes represent little pieces of me. Placing and documenting the pieces in water is my protection ritual, sort of like I’m protecting myself from parts of myself. Comparing the weights to my body weight gives a sense of how much the memory weighs on my head and nervous system.
The black flower-like form hanging by a thread just outside the mouth of the vase is a facetious gesture about my achievement of, and assimilation into conventional womanhood.
Boom (464lb)
Black, Red, Orange, and Yellow Rexlace, Floatation Foam
5” x 5” x 8”
2025
$1,000
Atist Notes: Titled after Michael Shnayerson’s book Boom and the number of total pages in it.
Black, Red, Orange, and Yellow Rexlace, Floatation Foam
5” x 5” x 8”
2025
$1,000
Atist Notes: Titled after Michael Shnayerson’s book Boom and the number of total pages in it.
17.55lb
Red and White Rexlace, Floatation Foam
5” x 5” x 8”
2024
$900
Artist Notes: 17.55, or 17:55, is 5:55pm military time. This piece is about the weight of resisting and fighting for love. The number 5 is the number of the Yoruba goddess Oshun, who governs art and the humanities, love, and sensuality. The number 17 is one of my favorite numbers, it was my soccer jersey number. There is a Yoruba proverb that talks about the only time we see red and white thread is in the flags of war. White is a surrender, red means danger, and the intertwining of the two threads taints the “purity” of surrender. But when the white simply holds the red, the relationship between the two takes on altered meaning. I was meditating on the perceived “aggressive” parts of myself that negatively affect my love life. The irony of the kettlebell is when it touches the water, the flowers float away because they aren’t anchored in the vase. The only parts of this kettlebell that have been in the water are the flowers.
Red and White Rexlace, Floatation Foam
5” x 5” x 8”
2024
$900
Artist Notes: 17.55, or 17:55, is 5:55pm military time. This piece is about the weight of resisting and fighting for love. The number 5 is the number of the Yoruba goddess Oshun, who governs art and the humanities, love, and sensuality. The number 17 is one of my favorite numbers, it was my soccer jersey number. There is a Yoruba proverb that talks about the only time we see red and white thread is in the flags of war. White is a surrender, red means danger, and the intertwining of the two threads taints the “purity” of surrender. But when the white simply holds the red, the relationship between the two takes on altered meaning. I was meditating on the perceived “aggressive” parts of myself that negatively affect my love life. The irony of the kettlebell is when it touches the water, the flowers float away because they aren’t anchored in the vase. The only parts of this kettlebell that have been in the water are the flowers.
Speed of Might
Neon Yellow Rexlace, Floatation Foam, and Fishing Line
5" x 3.5" x 14"
2024
$900
Artist Notes: The lightning bolt is a symbol of the Yoruba god Shango. When I created this piece, I was thinking of his protection, his aggression, his agility, his anger, and his marriage to the Yoruba goddess Oya, who controls the weather. She can produce light breezes as well as devastating hurricanes at her whim. The two had a passionate and tumultuous relationship, and I use their folklore as reference for my own love life. They’re both war ready, warriors trained for battle, and acted as such with each other. Their relationship serves as a cautionary tale for my own relationships. They pair nicely together when the extremities of their personalities are used wisely.
Neon Yellow Rexlace, Floatation Foam, and Fishing Line
5" x 3.5" x 14"
2024
$900
Artist Notes: The lightning bolt is a symbol of the Yoruba god Shango. When I created this piece, I was thinking of his protection, his aggression, his agility, his anger, and his marriage to the Yoruba goddess Oya, who controls the weather. She can produce light breezes as well as devastating hurricanes at her whim. The two had a passionate and tumultuous relationship, and I use their folklore as reference for my own love life. They’re both war ready, warriors trained for battle, and acted as such with each other. Their relationship serves as a cautionary tale for my own relationships. They pair nicely together when the extremities of their personalities are used wisely.
Mother’s Touch
Black Pearl Rexlace and Floatation Foam
2025
$3,400
Artist Notes: My mother always made sure we had jewelry when she could. I get my love of adornment from her. She’s also the source for my fascination with Yoruba amulets. She told us stories of her father, who was a Muslim chief in Abeokuta and practiced Ifa. He kept charms over their front door for protection from thieves. He was wealthy most of their life, so she grew up wearing real gold, and tried to give me the same, because we both have extremely sensitive skin. After my parents’ divorce, she took my sister and I on a celebratory trip to Hawaii, where she bought us black pearl rings. I wear the jewelry she gifted me often. It’s my way of keeping her with me, though her Evangelical beliefs physically and emotionally keep us at a distance. Audre Lorde once said, “Our daughters have us, for measure or rebellion or outline or dream…” Let my mother tell it, I’m rebellious. Lorde also says, “Oh mother, why were we armed to fight with cloud-wreathed swords and javelins of dust? ‘Just who do you think you are, anyway?’ Who I am most afraid of (never) meeting.”
Black Pearl Rexlace and Floatation Foam
2025
$3,400
Artist Notes: My mother always made sure we had jewelry when she could. I get my love of adornment from her. She’s also the source for my fascination with Yoruba amulets. She told us stories of her father, who was a Muslim chief in Abeokuta and practiced Ifa. He kept charms over their front door for protection from thieves. He was wealthy most of their life, so she grew up wearing real gold, and tried to give me the same, because we both have extremely sensitive skin. After my parents’ divorce, she took my sister and I on a celebratory trip to Hawaii, where she bought us black pearl rings. I wear the jewelry she gifted me often. It’s my way of keeping her with me, though her Evangelical beliefs physically and emotionally keep us at a distance. Audre Lorde once said, “Our daughters have us, for measure or rebellion or outline or dream…” Let my mother tell it, I’m rebellious. Lorde also says, “Oh mother, why were we armed to fight with cloud-wreathed swords and javelins of dust? ‘Just who do you think you are, anyway?’ Who I am most afraid of (never) meeting.”
Daddy’s Proverb
Voice Recording and College Photo
2025
NFS
Listen to Video Recording Here
Artist Notes: One day in 2022, I asked my dad for his favorite Yoruba proverb because I was working on a proverbial series for a graphic design project that I’ve since shelved. He wrote it down for me on an old Kaiser envelope and I kept it. Our relationship has never been particularly emotionally close. It’s affectionately combative on my end, business-like, short tempered, and matter-of-fact on his, but reflecting on the connections between his small joys, like his palm tree, his love of parrots, and his favorite proverb, helps me understand his interior life a bit better. Olofi’s pataki about parrots also helped me make a connection between all of this information.
Voice Recording and College Photo
2025
NFS
Listen to Video Recording Here
Artist Notes: One day in 2022, I asked my dad for his favorite Yoruba proverb because I was working on a proverbial series for a graphic design project that I’ve since shelved. He wrote it down for me on an old Kaiser envelope and I kept it. Our relationship has never been particularly emotionally close. It’s affectionately combative on my end, business-like, short tempered, and matter-of-fact on his, but reflecting on the connections between his small joys, like his palm tree, his love of parrots, and his favorite proverb, helps me understand his interior life a bit better. Olofi’s pataki about parrots also helped me make a connection between all of this information.
K’era Morgan: K’era is a Los Angeles-based mixed media artist who continues to explore the art of abstraction in the form of collage and painting. Her inspiration comes from the natural environment however it is less about mimicking its visual forms, and more about channeling its instinctual, rhythmic essence. She sees nature as a mirror reflecting back insights about our shared human experience and the current status of the collective psyche and wellbeing. In turn, the work she creates explores the parallels between literal and metaphorical landscapes and our inner terrain, organic patterns and the mind's ephemeral currents.
These Geoglyphs are based on a collection of drawings that Morgan made during a pivotal, transitional phase in her life. After suffering a debilitating back injury, Morgan was unable to work, walk, sleep, or fall into her new role as a mother. To face these challenges, Morgan turned to sketching and discovered new psychological terrain. The paintings that resulted chart the landscapes of Morgan's deepest being.
Navigating these interior spaces through their aerial views gives a holistic perspective, including all the inaccessible nooks and crannies of the mind. As aerial surveys of vast areas, the paintings map depths of emotion and sensation. The intensity of physical pain serves as the baseline, yet is layered with the corresponding intensity of mother-love and overwhelm, resulting in vivid colors and vibrant pathways woven among organic shapes and linework. Effectively, Morgan maps the routes of feeling-both affective and somatic-that define her unconventional entry into motherhood.
These Geoglyphs are based on a collection of drawings that Morgan made during a pivotal, transitional phase in her life. After suffering a debilitating back injury, Morgan was unable to work, walk, sleep, or fall into her new role as a mother. To face these challenges, Morgan turned to sketching and discovered new psychological terrain. The paintings that resulted chart the landscapes of Morgan's deepest being.
Navigating these interior spaces through their aerial views gives a holistic perspective, including all the inaccessible nooks and crannies of the mind. As aerial surveys of vast areas, the paintings map depths of emotion and sensation. The intensity of physical pain serves as the baseline, yet is layered with the corresponding intensity of mother-love and overwhelm, resulting in vivid colors and vibrant pathways woven among organic shapes and linework. Effectively, Morgan maps the routes of feeling-both affective and somatic-that define her unconventional entry into motherhood.
Geoglyph 11.16
Mixed media on canvas
43 × 28 inches
2024
$3500
Mixed media on canvas
43 × 28 inches
2024
$3500
Geoglyph 3.14
Mixed media on canvas
49" × 30"
2024
sold
Mixed media on canvas
49" × 30"
2024
sold
Geoglyph 5.12
Mixed media on canvas
59" × 42"
2024
$5950
Mixed media on canvas
59" × 42"
2024
$5950
Geoglyph 8.14
Mixed media on canvas
59" x 42"
2024
$6000
Mixed media on canvas
59" x 42"
2024
$6000
Sovern LA is an intersectional community center and gallery, located in LA’s West Adams district, focused on supporting Black and Indigenous women and gender expansive people of color. Fueled by a passion for justice, equality, and creative expression, Sovern is driven by the collective determination to center healing justice, challenge systemic barriers, empower artists of color, and amplify their impact for collective wellbeing. By building a community that uplifts and celebrates diverse voices, we aim to reshape the art world in Los Angeles and beyond, creating a more inclusive and equitable space where artists and communities can thrive together.
DOMINIQUE GALLERY is a gallery and arts incubator founded in 2015 by Dominique Clayton, an African-American arts manager and writer. Founded in the West Adams neighborhood in her hometown of Los Angeles, the space has exhibited solo and group exhibitions by emerging and mid-career artists from Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Baltimore, Atlanta and Toronto featuring a wide range of artists with diverse artistic practices. The gallery is committed to diversity and representation, intentionally holding space for emerging artists of color, women and artists raising children.
