Red Keeps Watch

Born in Birmingham (Alabama, USA) and based in Harlem (New York), Erin LeAnn Mitchell draws from the legacies of Black migration and liberation, blending historical iconography with contemporary experience.

The installation Red Keeps Watch is rooted in the Black quilting traditions of the American South—an art form where pieces of fabric are sewn and layered together to create works that are both aesthetic and rich with history. The artist reclaims this practice as a space for memory, resistance, and imagination.

Here, red becomes signal, stain, and shield, woven through layered textiles that map collective memory and personal stories. These quilts stand as witnesses to what has endured and to what is still unfolding.

Erin LeAnn Mitchell (USA) is currently in residence through the 2-12 residency programme