Tire treads weave into braids and knots in Kim Dacres’ celebratory busts of black women — Colossal



Art

#hair #Kim Dacres #sculpture #tyres

Artist Kim Dacres he prefers materials with history, those with the scars of the world and where, as they say, rubber meets the road. She shapes used tires from motorcycles, bicycles and automobiles into figurative sculptures that are celebratory and remedial, honoring the Black women who have influenced her and tackling the challenges many have faced. « Used incessantly until deemed broken or superfluous, discarded without thought or concern. Where others see waste, Dacres sees possibility, » says a statement about his transformation of the material. « And with that vision comes deep resilience, comfort, and ultimately joy. »

Portraying both real and imagined subjects, much of Dacres’ more recent work considers issues of self-expression and presentation. Coated in glossy black spray paint and weighing, at times, more than 90 pounds, the sculptures feature natural hairstyles such as braids, dreadlocks and Bantu knots that, in white spaces, have historically been questioned for their respectability and professionalism.

“Sheryl” (2022), recycled car tires, motorcycle tires, bicycle tires, bicycle tire inner tubes, zip ties, bicycle parts, screws, wood and spray paint, 26.5 x 11 x 14 in. Photo by Max Yawney

Dacres first used tires in 2008 for his dissertation at Williams College. She spent the next decade in education, working as a teacher, middle school principal, and professor, and in 2017 she returned to the material and her own practice.

His most recent exhibition Measure me in rotationheld earlier this summer at Carlo Moffett Gallery in New York, he brought together a series of works that reference students he met in class and those in his communities in Harlem and the Bronx, where he lives and works, respectively. Emphasizing the power of hair to assert one’s identity, Dacres uses the unique tread, texture, pattern and malleability of tires to form individual characteristics. Smooth inner tubes peek through the knots in ‘Bintou’, while strips of cut rubber cascade down the figure’s head in ‘Britt’.

An earlier work, titled “Hope,” is a prime example of Dacres’ desire to draw metaphorical parallels between material and subject. Referencing stories of the Great Migration and the Caribbean and African immigration that brought many black people north, the figure appears to be screaming and saying the word « hope. » She explains:

Hope, in part, inspires voluntary migration away from family, friends and familiarity and towards the newness of place and the mess of acculturation. Sensation instigates momentum. We move for hope. We plan with hope in mind. Hope is the feeling of the future. The material embodies the idea of ​​travel and ultimately the friction needed to propel yourself forward and away from home.

Dacres has a two-person exhibition featuring the artist April Bey (formerly) scheduled for June 2024 at UTA Artist Space in Atlanta. She recently she has also been featured in books Black American portraits AND Black Power kitchen. Find more of his work at his site AND Instagram.

“Hope” (2022), recycled motorcycle and bicycle tires, wood, screws, woven bicycle tubes, cable ties and spray paint, 27 x 15 x 14 inches. Photo by Max Yawney

Detail from “Sheryl” (2022), recycled car tires, motorcycle tires, bicycle tires, bicycle tire inner tubes, zip ties, bicycle parts, screws, wood and spray paint, 26.5 x 11 x 14 in. Photo by Max Yawney

“Britt” (2023), recycled car, motorcycle, electric skateboard, and bicycle tires, pressure-treated wood, construction screws, and satin black spray paint mounted on a red oak plinth, 69×13×13 in. Photo by Max Yawney

“Natty Dread II” (2022), recycled car and bicycle tires, wood, screws, bicycle parts and spray paint, 37 x 9 x 17 inches. Photo by Max Yawney

“Bintou” (2023), recycled car, motorcycle, electric skateboard and bicycle tires, pressure-treated wood, construction screws, MDF, and satin black spray paint mounted on ambrosia maple plinth, 55 × 14 × 14 in. Photo by Max Yawney

“Enid” (2022), recycled car and bicycle tires, wood, screws and spray paint, 27 x 13 x 12.5 inches. Photo by Max Yawney

Left: “Anita” (2023), recycled car, motorcycle, electric skateboard, and bicycle tires, pressure-treated wood, construction screws, and satin black spray paint, mounted on pressure-treated wood base, 52 x 16.5 x 24.5 in. Right: “Phyllis” (2023), recycled car, motorcycle, electric skateboard, and bicycle tires, pressure-treated wood, construction screws, and satin black spray paint, mounted on pressure-treated wood base, 54.5 x 16.5 x 24.5 in. Photo by Tom Barratt and Charles Moffett Gallery

#hair #Kim Dacres #sculpture #tyres

Are stories and artists like this important to you? Become a Colossal member today and support independent art publishing for just $5 a month. You’ll connect with a community of like-minded readers and contemporary art enthusiasts, read ad-free articles and newsletters, support our interview series, get discounts and early access to our limited edition print publications, and much more. Sign up now!