WHISPERS OF TOMORROW'S BLESSINGS

Isaiah Ward is a black-american photographer, poet, and writer based on the south side of Chicago. His work focuses on documenting the lives of black people within his community, with the intention of preserving memories and stories with reverence-for those present and those who have passed on. He is currently exploring collage and assemblage as methods for telling stories about his subjects and the worlds they inhabit. His medium of choice is 35mm film and poetry. He integrates poetry into his photography to create layered meaning and to encourage audiences to encounter new perspectives.

He is also a member of the conscious conversations executive team, where he moderates and develops artist talks that investigate the journeys of notable black artists throughout Chicago.

Angel Mendoza is a Chicago based interdisciplinary artist assembling shrine-like sculptures and wearables inspired by his Mexican-Catholic heritage. Angel's practice combines jewelry making techniques with textile and construction processes in a way that mirrors his family's background in the carpentry, culinary, and cosmetology workforces. His work serves as a way of compartmentalizing domestic memory, forming secular shrines around kitsch memorabilia and personal narratives.

Angel is also 1/2 of the collaborative project Parallel Play, screen printing shirts and other 1/1 garments alongside artist and educator Rafael Huerta. Parallel Play stemmed from time spent preparing for critique in the studio together while listening to runway soundtracks in the background.