About Catherine

Baltimore City - Station North A&E District
Catherine R. Mapp  was born in 1994 in Miami, Florida. In 2012, she moved to Baltimore, Maryland to study Interdisciplinary Sculpture and Critical Race Theory at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Mapp has already been included in various exhibitions including,“XXChange: A Showcase of Women Artists and Makers,” a Grit Fund Grant Project sponsored by The Contemporary and The Robert W. Deutsch Foundation and organized by the Baltimore Women’s Maker’s Collective at Area 405,… more
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Ghosts I Grew Up With

My passion lies in the creation of textiles that are evocative of the sensations and memories of a particular time and place. The use of all naturally sourced dyes and fibers lend themselves to intensive processes which instill sentimental value through marks left by the hand.

Additionally, locally sourced dye often comes together to form a palate completely unique to its region. The use of these plants often have dual purposes as well. For example, black beans, turmeric and avocados which are used in kitchens all throughout Miami and the islands also create gorgeous shades of blues, yellows and pinks.

However, I find that working in such a specific tradition while developing your own artistry is increasingly difficult due to an astounding lack of information readily available on textile craft of the Caribbean and even less specifically pertaining to my Cuban and Guyanese heritage. There is a long and rich history of Latin American and West Indian fiber art which I hope to create a dialogue with through my work and shed light on the interesting juxtaposition of cultures which have raised me and exist more widely than perhaps many people are aware of in a time when the US is more truly in need of an education in diversity and inclusion than ever.

  • Sunset On The Mississippi
    Sunset On The Mississippi
    After exile, the sudden death of my mother two years ago...Searching for a place as close to home as you remember while being far enough away to never be troubled by the past again often brought me to New Orleans. Water is the cord that binds all life and the idea of water as an uncontrolled force of life, both destructive and nurturing is deeply symbolic of my own experience with family.
  • Hell Is All In Your Mind
    Hell Is All In Your Mind
    Coming into one's own as a woman means you must own and embrace the power of your anger after being told it's an ugly thing. You must embrace your sexuality to have peace after being told your whole life that it is a disgusting thing.
  • Sundri's Kitchen
    Sundri's Kitchen
    An invocation of the power of memory and sensory experiences related to food and culinary tradition. Thinking back to my grandmother's kitchen and what I know now of the politics of what we eat...that the foods developed under the opression and desperation of slavery and indentured servitude live to become delicacies and even national dishes, a source of pride.