Felandus Thames Weaves Memories of the Black Diaspora in Luminous Beaded Portraits

2 hours ago7 min read

Artist Felandus Thames orchestrates a powerful visual symphony of remembrance, using the culturally resonant medium of plastic hair beads to create luminous portraits that honor the Black diaspora. His intricate works transform thousands of individual beads into rhythmic, pulsing visages, where each colorful element acts as a singular note in a broader composition of collective memory.Thames’s chosen material is inherently significant, drawing from a deep tradition where hair beading represents an intimate act of care, cultural expression, and identity formation. The painstaking, labor-intensive process becomes a meditative practice—a deliberate counterpoint to the fleeting nature of digital culture.Echoing the improvisational genius of jazz and the rich layering of folk art, Thames forges a vital connection between ancestral customs and contemporary visual discourse. These beaded narratives are a polyphonic tribute to resilience and beauty, asserting that the most enduring stories are woven not from a single thread, but from a vibrant, interconnected chorus of countless parts.

#featured

#Felandus Thames

#beaded portraits

#Black Diaspora

#contemporary art

#sculpture

#cultural memory

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