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Author Talk | Tanzy Ward

Hidden Legacies

Explore the hidden legacies of African presence within European antiques by bringing attention to overlooked narratives and the enduring imprint of African presence in European material culture.

This presentation explores the hidden legacies of African presence within European antiques, examining how traces of Black identity are embedded, preserved, and sometimes obscured in decorative arts. 

Focusing on mediums such as sculpture, painting, and cameos, the presentation investigates how African figures and influences appear within antique European objects. By connecting historical inquiry with the study of antiques, this program brings attention to overlooked narratives and the enduring imprint of African presence in European material culture. It also considers the historical forces that shaped these representations, revealing how the Black Diaspora contributions have been both foundational and marginalized within European artistic traditions.

Books will be available for purchase.

Tanzy Ward is an antique dealer, historic preservationist, and author whose work unites decorative arts and history education to preserve ancestral material culture. Her research centers on integrating the ancestral Black diaspora into antique jewelry representation and reimagining the broader story of Black Victorian and Edwardian life.

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