Me and My Gal

This book began as an idea to gather together some of the work being made by artists I've been working on textile projects with at NIAD, (Nurturing Independence through Artistic Development), who have a deep interest and connection with what one might call fashion, but what could also be seen as the corporeal, the body, performativity.

- Nan Collymore

These pages share text, thoughts, stories, and ideas, exchanged through email and video conferencing between Nan Collymore, Celia Lesh, and mara poliak between 2020 and 2021. This intimate, expansive conversation mirrored the many ways that sociality is practiced at NIAD Art Center by the artists who work there.

Shout out to Karen May, NIAD’s resident poet and artist for providing the theme and title, “Me and My Girl” to this book.

CREDITS

Artists:
Karen May, Felicia Griffin, Shantae Robinson, Jean McElvane, Julio Del Rio, Maria Radilla, Deatra Colbert, Donzell Lewis, Ann Meade, Evelyn Davis and Danny Thach.

Artwork:
Janay Futch, Sam Kershnar.

Design and overall sweet and abundant generosity:
Companion—Platform
(Lexi Visco + Calvin Rocchio).

Content Editors:
Lauren Ardis, mara poliak and Celia Lesh.

Make-Up Artist:
Shantanice Jones.

Models:
Raven Harper, Christian Vassell, Esme Silva, Shawna Kinard, Carlota Rodriguez, Erika Martinez, Deatra Colbert, Karen May, Felicia Griffin, Maria Radilla, Danny Thach and Donzell Lewis.

Photographer:
Andria Lo.

Project Management and eternal badasses:
mara poliak and Celia Lesh.

Producer and Editor:
Nan Collymore.

Stylists:
Luce Collymore Abbas and Nan Collymore.

Set Design:
Nan Collymore, Luce Collymore Abbas and Andria Lo.

Writers and Editors:
Heather Hamann, Deatra Colbert, Karen May, Mireya Betances, Esme Silva, Alan Perez, Lupe Soto, Jean McElvane, mara poliak, Celia Lesh, Lauren Ardis, Nan Collymore.

Printed by:
Colpa Press