Drawing from his interest in history – particularly, history of the Middle Passage, Hayes’ work aims to
transcend the body: where we are, where we are going, and where we come from. Lock reponds to stories of
the African diaspora and takes the shape of a padlock to address systems of oppression. The weighted form
recalls an arched passageway and initiates a path forward. As in other works by Hayes, its surface is treated
intensively with a needle tool to create wavelike patterning evocative of Black hair, woven baskets, musical
rhythms, raffia, and textiles. His unglazed ceramics are rich in texture and invite the viewer to an abstract
space of belonging that is bigger than oneself

Artifacts are a tangible history which have the capacity to retain, transform,
destroy, erase and evoke lost knowledge. My artwork is informed by researching
traditional African heirlooms and initiation rites of birth, adulthood, marriage,
eldership, and ancestry which are essential to all human growth and speaks to the
greater African diaspora. Along with my interest in history, science-fiction, and
hip-hop culture, I utilize ceramics as a historical and base material to inform
memories of the past. The handling of clay reveals the process and shares the
markings of its maker. By using a needle tool, I create individual marks on the
surface of the clay with each strand becoming a collective form. I compare the
construction and deconstruction of materials to the remix in rap music and how
human beings adapt to different environments and reinvent new identities. The
application of repeated texture and patterns on the surface of my sculptures
imbue a visual language of memory, ritual, comfort and a sense of familiarity to
the viewer. These sculptures are vessels that are turned upside down further
symbolizing the crazy world we live in. Ceramics becomes a bridge to conceptually
integrate disparate objects and or images for the purpose of creating new
understandings and connections with the material, history, and social-political
issues. These modern artifacts preserve, empower, and document the past and
present to initiate healing and understanding for the future.

This object was included in the following exhibitions:

• Legacy Traces , 1/18/2024 - 6/22/2024

• overall Dimensions: 14 x 15 x 8 in. (355.6 x 381 x 203.2 mm)

This object is a member of the following portfolios: