Read/Write Library + Darryl DeAngelo Terrell
Images: (Left) A storefront view of Read/Write Library. Photo courtesy of Read/Write Library. (Right) Artist Darryl DeAngelo Terrell conducting research at Read/Write Library. Photo by William Camargo.
“I oftentimes worry about the loss of these materials [in Black archives] and how, without adequate preservation, gaps in the archive have the possibility of being expanded, or more gaps will form, leading to a lapse in the knowledge of our presence and production.”
ARCHIVE:
Read/Write Library
Read/Write Library collects, preserves, and provides access to community media in order to inspire and promote diverse modes of cultural production and civic engagement. They strive to raise the visibility of work produced by Chicagoans of all backgrounds in order to reveal connective threads across neighborhoods, generations, and cultures and to encourage inquiry into and ownership of the historical record. The Library recognizes the contributions that all community members make to co-creating a city and believes that learning to value these stories plays a vital role in building empathy, community pride, and the ability to see oneself as a change agent.
ARTIST:
Darryl DeAngelo Terrell
Darryl DeAngelo Terrell is a Detroit-based artist who primarily works within lens-based media (i.e. Photography, Video), performance, and writing. They are also a Curator, DJ, Organizer, and Educator. They received their Master of Fine Art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where they studied with Xaviera Simmons, Ayanah Moor, Roberto Sifuentes, and Faheem Majeed. They work under the philosophy of F.U.B.U (This Shit Is For Us*). They are always thinking about how their work can aid in a larger conversation about Blackness, and its many intersectionalities. Their work explores the displacement of Black and brown people, femme identity and strength, the Black family structure, sexuality, gender, safe spaces for all Black bodies, and personal stories all while keeping in mind the accessibility of art.