Very, Very Slightly
In her Very, Very Slightly works, Tiona Nekkia McClodden employs source material images related to the BDSM (bondage-discipline, dominance-submission, sadism, masochism) community, in particular advertisements for Black femme mistresses. Through a sophisticated process, the artist printed these images on leather, resulting in their partial legibility. Their concealment is thus twofold, indicating both the obfuscation of the women themselves and the literal darkness of McClodden's paintings. With these works, the artist shows that evasion may be not only a site for critique, but also a tool for the erotic. Here, the act of withholding from view is both protective and tantalizing. The title of this series alludes in part to the notion of obscuring the figure. It also refers to a type of diamond known as "very, very slightly," or VVS, so called because it contains numerous microscopic flaws that together create an exceptional radiance, or sparkle; these diamonds have become popular among music performers. In these works, McClodden incorporates diamond dust to advance questions of value and to formally experiment with visibility.
Featured in Going Dark: The Contemporary Figure at the Edge of Visibility
Curated by Ashley James
ON VIEW OCTOBER 20, 2023–APRIL 7, 2024
Installation Images by Tim Tiebout