Made for Mom (2022), a woven artwork by Malene Djenaba, displayed in the artist's Brooklyn home alongside Senufo sculptures.
Photo: Pratya Jankong
The Collectors: Malene Djenaba Barnett
The Fulbright Award winner surrounds herself with works by other artists to feel the essence of good company
Malene Djenaba Barnett. Photo: Alaric's Campbell
Ceramist and textile artist Malene Djenaba Barnett continues to garner praise and attention for her mixed-media works, which were recently on view at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha, Nebraska. This past year, the founder of the Black Artists + Designers Guild received a Fulbright Award, and October 29 marks the release of her debut book, Crafted Kinship (Hachette), which spotlights various makers throughout the Caribbean.
That same spirit of community is reflected in the artworks she displays in her townhouse in Brooklyn, New York. “I really try to bring work into my home that tells a story similar to how I’m looking at my heritage, and how other makers are translating that way of being through their work,” says Barnett, whose possessions range from Jomo Tariku furniture, glass by Leo Tecosky, and Terry Boddie photographs to Senufo sculptures from West Africa and pottery found in Colombia and Costa Rica.
Creative connections: Being surrounded by works for other artists “keeps me grounded. Even though I may not see the people, the art allows me to feel the essence of being in good company.”
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2024 Late Fall Issue under the headline “The Collectors.” Subscribe to the magazine.
Cover: Made for Mom (2022), a woven artwork by Malene Djenaba, displayed in the artist's Brooklyn home alongside Senufo sculptures.
Photo: Pratya Jankong
