Alchemize
An exploration of creativity in pandemic times
November 13, 2021 - January 4, 2022
Alchemize features recent work of three Black female mixed media artists based in Los Angeles. In this inaugural exhibition, in person at Sovern, we get intimate glimpses into each artist's uniquely nuanced spiral of growth, showcasing the power of the artistic process to unpack and transmute the complexities of the human experience - both individual and collective.
Featured Artists
Calethia DeConto
"Traditional analog photography is my educational foundation. Mixing media and cinematography is my self taught evolution. I have been a portrait photographer and an artist simultaneously for over 20 years. My work is about temporality and moving through it with grace in the midst of emotional complexities. I try to document our relationship with time in a way that honors my own heart. I am continually inspired by dappled light, natural elements, eastern philosophies, indigenous practices and the expression of love between living beings. I search for truth with an open mind and utilize art as a unique language."
K’era Morgan
K’era is a Los Angeles-based mixed media artist who currently has a penchant for works on paper and a long term love affair with textile traditions from around the world.
K’era graduated from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a BFA in textile design. When in the act of creating, time stands still for K’era. There is no past, there is no future but just the present. Her work is a reflection of her mood, with color and brushstrokes and mark-making heavily representing the essence of a feeling, emotion or thought in the exact moment.
Rosalyn Myles
Born and raised in a neighborhood just off the 110 freeway between Gardena and Compton, Rosalyn Myles has spent most of her life in the City of Los Angeles. She attended Mills College and completed her Masters Degree in Fine Arts at the California College of Arts.
From the artist: "No matter the medium I find myself using, I am always mining society's perpetual stories about women and what it means to be a person of color in the United States of America. I explore ignored concerns that plague these communities and disenfranchised people in general. As a contemporary political artist, I am interested in exploring our significant conversations going on in this country today and how we as a people can move forward to navigate the future."
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.