Myra Greene utilizes the media of textiles and photography to explore representations of race and the body. At the center of her practice is a consideration of how our understanding of color is completely dependent on context – materially, culturally, and historically. Tone, Greene’s first exhibition in Indianapolis, presents two bodies of fiber-based work that consider our relationship to and interpretation of color, race, and identity.

Mixed, compositions of hand-dyed fabric that fade from rich tones of red, green, and orange to brown, reference blackness without the body. Using industrial cotton, Greene cuts the fabric into strips and dyes it in a complementary color. The final composition is a gradation that fades to brown and references the complexities of the layers that create a whole. The dye, like the color, is not uniform causing undulating, captivating textures on the surface. These works highlight the seductive nature of color and address that brown is not a pure color, but a tone, a composite, and a beautiful blend of information.

Her series Piecework examines the black experience and culture through material compositions of shape and color. Inspired by traditional Dutch Wax patterns found on African textiles, Greene silkscreens original patterns onto fabric using metallic inks. The patterns, often overlaid, create a vibrant map-like motif. The title of the series refers to the act of assembly of triangular “pieces” of fabric to create a complex composition of color, shape, and form. Laden with cultural and historical references, these works also emphasize the power of color and shape, and their ability to create an abstraction based on illusion.

Installation views, TONE at Indianapolis Contemporary, CityWay Gallery: