The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art is proud to announce the first solo museum exhibition of innovative artist Demond Melancon.

Demond Melancon (b. 1978) works solely with a needle and thread to sew glass beads onto canvas. He began this practice in 1992 when he first became part of a more than 200-year-old culture known as the Black Masking Culture of New Orleans. Big Chief Demond Melancon is well known for creating massive Suits as a Black Masker. His Suits are sculptural forms based on the size of his body which are composed of intricate, hand-sewn beadwork revealing a collective visual narrative. In 2017, Melancon pioneered an emerging contemporary art practice using the same beading techniques he’s been refining over the past 30 years in the Black Masking Culture.

As Any Means Are Necessary will debut a host of new work, including a completely new type of art object in Melancon’s practice. 

For those of you who visited The International African-American Museum, you might remember the fabulous piece in the front gallery.  It’s by Demond Melancon. 

We’ll plan to meet for lunch at the Francis Marion Hotel before the start of the 2pm tour.  Use the parking garage next door.