Keepsakes: Joyce
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Keepsakes: Joyce” now? Collection: Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.
Minneapolis, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
Delita Martin is a Houston-based figurative artist who often blends diverse media and techniques to create visually potent images of women of color as icons of strength and community. Inspired by oral traditions as well as vintage and family photographs, Martin attempts to capture the spirit of her subjects—mainly friends and family members—and tell their individual and collective stories. Martin’s portraits and figurative scenes honor African American women and present positive images of Black identity through individualized narrative content that also provides a contextual connection to her subjects’ personal experiences.
Read on
For her suite “Keepsakes, ” Martin drew black-and-white lithographic portraits of several close friends and family members (and herself) based on photographs of them as children. Each portrait was then combined with an image printed directly from an antique christening dress collected by the artist and prepared as a collagraph printing matrix. To further individualize the portraits, each print features a distinctive background design and geometric pattern of hand-stitched thread. Part tribute, part memento, the “Keepsakes” prints are each titled with the name of the individual portrayed. Martin’s portraits are both personal and universal, honoring a lifetime of friendship, connection, and community.
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Details
- Accession number
- 2021.105.1.3
In the catalog
Sources
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- Image: Minneapolis Institute of Art — Copyright © Delita Martin, published by Highpoint Editions
