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Started reading since my job, Praise Shadows Gallery, is named after a quote from Tanizaki’s text.

The writing style is intimate and captivating. Favorite quote so far is “Eventually he stopped talking to the iguana altogether because he came to enjoy and trust the silence between them as if the two of them were buddies in an old-time silent movie.”

After reading Paging Dr. Lesbian’s interview of Thomas and her inspiration behind the book, I can better appreciate it.

I am enjoying the book. I do feel that there is already far is too much content and history to condense in a 300 page book. But ‘A Place of Our Own’ is a great starting point, providing readers with direction and places to further research.

“What can I reveal that has not been shown? Black people — not entertaining, just being, living. Letting people deal with that as reality.” - Derrick Adams

"We work alone but we also work with and for others, and it is expressed by two words: one is 'solitary, in which we create out of what is in us, from our innermost feelings, ideas, emo-tions, knowledge... we also create from 'solidarity, which is what we have in our innermost selves that comes from what we have gotten from our solidarity with other people" Elizabeth Catlett

I coincidentally began reading this book before visiting both ICA exhibitions Say It Loud: AAMARP, 1977 to Now and Derrick Adams: Viewfinder. Both the exhibitions and book have deepened my understanding of Black contemporary art and its vital role in American politics.

I had just read about Chandler the previous day and seeing "What Amerika Means to the Black Man”—page 106 in person was moving.

If anyone asks me why art archives, galleries, and museums matter, this book is my answer.

50

here we go again