Alisa Banks

About the artist:

Growing up in a military family, Banks traveled frequently. As a perpetual outsider, she is intrigued by the concept of “home”. Her work centers on inquiries into identity politics through the lenses of home, terrain, and the body, by reflecting on personal and communal experiences and how they shape perceptions of self in relation to community, the environment, and society.

The processes used in Banks’ works are varied. Plant materials, hair, and other fibers are often incorporated, relating to her Louisiana roots, the African diaspora, and Black Americans’ complicated relationship to land and body. With the support of her research, Banks presents multi-dimensional histories that function as offerings to her ancestors and invitations to the viewer to foster pride, understanding, and connectedness.

Alicia Banks’ work has been exhibited in Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, and throughout the US, and is housed in several private and public collections, including the Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. Library of Congress, The Schomburg Center, and The British Library. Banks holds a BS degree in Medical Laboratory Science from Oklahoma State University and an MFA degree in Visual Art from Texas Woman’s University. She lives in Dallas, TX.

Artwork in exhibition:

Alisa Banks, Farewell Florilegium, 2024, Handmade paper, pigments, and aromatics, dimensions variable, courtesy of the artist