tap tap (the memory)
EMILY MANWARING, tap tap (the memory), 2021, Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 50 × 58 in
I imagine my life in the Caribbean and the celebration of my culture. Within celebration, there is revolution, storytelling, prayer, and freedom. I think about painting and sculpture the way a musical composition is formed or a dance is choreographed—an amalgamation of notes that create a symphony. In my work, a blast of sound and sensation emerges. The rhythm of the paintbrush draws the viewer into a world textured with layered terrains. Dancing through the winds of the island, experiencing the vibrancy of colors and joyous energies, becomes a journey of its own.
My work is an ode to the spirits of celebration within the Black diaspora. I look to storytelling as a visual language, communicating the experiences of my life and a shared consciousness. Through rich, dazzling color, I compose scenes of abundant beauty. The autonomy of the body and the presence of love are central to my practice. I ask myself: how can I embody someone's true essence through a painting or sculpture? Collaging allows me to gather images from the past and present, creating futuristic memories that encapsulate the journey of time. Returning to the work feels like looking back at family photographs—moments filled with the warmth of love and connection.
I think of my paintings as windows into the lives of the people I depict and the occasions they share. What would it look like if all of your memories were woven together into a single environment? These memories form a patchwork, a textile pattern resembling the layered complexity of a quilt. My collages become offerings to the world and a renewable source of solace.
I am deeply interested in how my materials translate emotion: how painting allows for fluidity, how cement and bricks bring solidification, and how steel introduces luminosity. I am drawn to the worlds that build themselves within my work and how visual language can hold memory, spirit, and feeling. I hope my art reflects and expands the life around me.
Emily Manwaring (b. 1999, Queens, New York; lives in Brooklyn, New York) earned her BFA in Fine Art from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. Her work has been exhibited at institutions and galleries including New Image, Canada Gallery, the Brooklyn Museum, Swivel Gallery, Cierra Britton Gallery, the Venice Biennale, and LMCC Arts Center. She has been featured in publications such as Artnet, JUXTAPOZ, It’s Nice That, ArtDaily, Office Magazine, ARTnews, and The New Yorker. Manwaring was most recently a visual arts resident at Abrons Arts Center, and her work is featured in a publication at The Met Library.
Her work has also appeared in Usher’s music video “Ruin” and been included in curated exhibitions such as the Brooklyn Museum’s Brooklyn Artists Exhibition. She has been interviewed and featured in artist profiles focused on her practice and cultural storytelling, and she continues to engage audiences through workshops and public programs such as her recent ColorLab visit at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. Manwaring has been recognized in contexts including Forbes 30 Under 30 (Art & Style) and continues to expand her presence in both institutional and community‑oriented art platforms.