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Arts Profile: How Arun Drummond helps preserve Gullah culture with his mixed-media artwork

Arts Profile: How Arun Drummond helps preserve Gullah culture with his mixed-media artwork
November 2024
WRITER: 

See his work at the International African American Museum and on December 13 at a Miller Gallery pop-up



Self-taught artist Arun Drummond, who moved into a studio in The Refinery earlier this year, often incorporates sweetgrass baskets made by local families into his mixed-media works such as in Three Generations (acrylic on linen mixed-media painting with sweetgrass detail, 36 x 48 inches, 2024)

As the manager of Gallery Chuma for more than 15 years, Arun Drummond was surrounded by art every day and taught visitors about the culture and folk art of Gullah people. Before long, the South Carolina native was inspired to create abstract paintings using found materials such as scrap wood.

Over the years, his folk-art style evolved from abstract to representational with polished, clean lines and symmetry. Today, the self-taught artist often mixes media in his works, incorporating sweetgrass baskets made by local basket weavers into his acrylic paintings to honor the culture and stories of descendants of enslaved people from West Africa who lived on the Sea Islands.

Earlier this year, Drummond began working out of a new studio at The Refinery and was selected to be in the inaugural cohort of vendors whose work is available at the International African American Museum (IAAM). And he’s popping up at Miller Gallery on December 13. Here, Drummond shares what’s behind the symbolism in his work.

Preserving a Culture: Although I had no formal art education, I was offered a position at Gallery Chuma and that’s where my passion for preserving Gullah culture was ignited. Since then it has been my mission to help document and preserve the culture with visual storytelling through my folk art. I may not have any direct family connections to the Sea Islands, but a master basket weaver was able to teach me the craft and trusted me with honoring the culture through my work. These days, I work with three different basket-weaving families to source the baskets I use. Those collaborations have not only been meaningful to my preservation work, but they also allow me to place resources back into those families and their communities. So when people these days ask me if I’m Gullah, I proudly share with them my path to being an advocate for Gullah preservation. It is now my purpose and will be my legacy. After seeing my work in a group show titled “Black Joy,” renowned Gullah artist Jonathan Green personally told me to “keep up the good work.” More recently, he thanked me for my many years of support for the culture. 

(Left to right) Arun Drummond, in his studio; The self-taught artist often mixes media in his works, incorporating sweetgrass baskets made by local basket weavers into his acrylic paintings to honor the culture and stories of descendants of enslaved people from West Africa who lived on the Sea Islands.

Enduring Themes: There are five main symbols in my art. Separated heads, where the figures have a gap between their heads and bodies, represent the mental and emotional disconnection that many African Americans experience. Unfinished baskets symbolize how the Gullah culture endures, is not finished, and is ongoing today. Natural hair because Black hair has a uniquely meaningful history as a symbol of survival, resistance, and celebration. I explore how society’s perceptions of natural hair still influence how Black people are seen today. The fading figures in my “Natural” series are painted the same color as the linen background, symbolizing that if we don’t make deliberate efforts to preserve the culture, it too will fade away into the background. Featureless faces because, in many ways, African Americans have been stripped of their individuality and only seen as the color of their skin. I’m asking: can we improve our ability to see each other fully as a nation? 

Change Agent: I’m inspired mainly through gratitude. Knowing that I get to wake up every day and create as my job is all the motivation I need, especially in a world where such a small percentage of artists can support themselves by doing the thing they love. Not only am I able to support myself, but I’ve created employment for others and strive to be an agent of cultural change.

Proud Moment: The IAAM selected my artwork to be a part of the first cohort of vendors for the gift shop. After a competitive and lengthy application process, I was one of only two artists chosen. This is the biggest honor of my career so far because IAAM is honoring Gullah culture in the most profound and beautiful way. 

In the Works: I’m collaborating with Miller Gallery for an in-person pop-up on December 13. I have been working on making this happen for some time and can’t wait to curate a thoughtful show in their beautiful space. Next April, the McClellanville Arts Council is hosting my largest solo exhibit to date—a retrospective that will showcase the different styles I’ve used throughout 20 years of painting.