Even wallpaper, it turns out, can have an agenda. The American artist and activist Malene Djenaba Barnett is talking to me from her elegant Brooklyn townhouse, and behind her is a wall covered with her own, instantly recognisable design, Mosaic, created for the LA-based interiors brand Lulu and Georgia. This dynamic pattern with metallic accents 'celebrates the legacy of Afro-Caribbean women potters', she explains.
Legacy-making is Malene's mission (well, one part of it) not so much for herself, but, more importantly, for her many silenced ancestors. 'I think about what we're going to leave behind, and how we have to take agency over our narrative,' she explains. We can't rely on anyone else to tell our story.' That's why, she adds, 'it's really important for me to tell these stories and to inspire others to take a deeper dive into their own family history and cultural identity. All we're doing as Black people is trying to get back to our source, without influence from other people.'
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Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av Living Etc UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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modern extensions
WITH STRIKING USE OF COLOUR, MATERIALS AND SHAPE, THE LATEST DESIGNS ADD SO MUCH MORE THAN AN EXTRA ROOM
think like a pro
It's not just interior designers who are skilled at picking the perfect palette architects are in on the act, too, and Richard Parr knows just how to get the ideal shade
colour decoded
As with all successful schemes, there's much more going on beneath the surface of this space than first appears -Livingete's colour expert Amy Moorea Wong reveals all
enduring style
B&B Italia has pioneered modern Italian furniture design since 1966 - but its latest collection feels as fresh as ever
TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED
Seventeenth-century origins meet vibrant contemporary design in a cleverly reimagined Amsterdam canal house
ROCK OF AGES
The owners of a Menorcan home have made a stylish yet sustainable retreat using the island's signature stone
FORCE OF NATURE
An unexpected flood into what was already a dark basement flat prompted a new vision, full of light, natural materials and foliage
TOP OF THE WORLD
High above the busy streets of Bangkok, two talented designers have created a tranquil retreat that nods to chic 1970s style and makes the most of the views
A PLACE IN THE SUN
An apartment within a former luxury hotel celebrates - and updates - the style of France's Côte d'Azur
OUTSIDE IN
The design of this modernist bungalow in South Africa was dictated by the trees on the plot and the desire for an indoor-outdoor flow
