Combating Erasure

Robell Awake’s work aims to disrupt the normal­iza­tion of white­ness within deco­ra­tive arts, ​“period” furni­ture, and wood­work­ing. Through a grant funded by the Center for Craft, Robell is inves­ti­gat­ing the influ­ence of Black and indige­nous crafts­peo­ple on Amer­i­can furni­ture histo­ries and tradi­tions. Robell will be joined by his research partner Charlie Ryland and deco­ra­tive arts scholar Dr. Tiffany Momon to discuss the impor­tance of center­ing the work and lives of Black and indige­nous crafts­peo­ple in order to culti­vate a more accu­rate under­stand­ing of Amer­i­can material culture.