Recently returned from Berlin, Germany where she was a Resident Artist for the Contemporary at Blue Star’s Berlin Residency Program at the Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Newsome has created a body of work that explores diaspora, girlhood, and femininity through photographs, installation, soft sculpture, and more.

Outside of the gallery, a pastel hopscotch pattern extends a playful invitation to enter the exhibition. Upon entering, visitors are welcomed into The Living Room, which houses carefully placed arrangements reflective of the artist's childhood. Specifically, “capturing the multifaceted experiences, emotions, and identities of black girlhood.” Colorful, plastic high heels are found along the floor, handmade dolls sit together on a bench, and a miniature tea set are some of the items spread throughout the room.

Venturing further into the gallery is The Bedroom, where the artist has created an intimate portrayal of womanhood. Utilizing various fruits to represent ideas of femininity, fertility, beauty, and perseverance, Newsome adorns the walls with intimate photographs of pomegranates, citrus, and plums, placed on plates or held against a body. In the corner of The Bedroom, a large dresser holds partly opened drawers, revealing undergarments embellished with photographs printed directly on them. Mirroring the artist's introspection, the dresser’s mirror holds glimpses of her childhood through photographs and notes. In this room, “‘Womanhood’ illustrates the artist’s personal exploration of the female body varying from self-hatred and disgust to the beginning self-acceptance.”

The journey culminates in the back hallway, where images of headstones and angels in a cemetery prompt contemplation on the passage of time and what lies beyond.

Artist Statement

“Through your heavy love
I have become 
An image of your once delicate flesh
Split with deceitful longings” 

–Black Mother Woman, Audre Lorde (1971)

Teaching Myself Manners is an interdisciplinary body of work that addresses themes of diaspora, girlhood, and femininity. Through the use of photographic imagery, installation, textile and soft sculpture, this series explores the complexitiesof femininity and womanhood, drawing inspiration from my mother’s upbringing in Germany and the intricate layers of identity that make up my perception of self. Through research, archived narratives, imagery, and personal and shared experiences, this series delves into the intimate moments that stem from my own journey of understanding and education regarding beauty, childhood, femininity, and womanhood from an African American perspective.