“N’ikpeazu” / “Later”
Collaborators’ Q&A: What surprised you about this collaborative piece?
Poet Akpa Arinzechukwu: Spirituality is a thing!!! I wrote a poem inspired by looking at an article of clothing a brother once wore alive, and an artist who works with fabrics ran with the feelings/emotion. The “othering” done by grief is a race one can’t afford to run or face but here Amy tells the reader/viewer: “here, see my pain, did I not survive?” Artist Amy Meissner: My artistic interest lies at the intersection of textiles, craft practice, and grieving. While I strive to portray this visually in my work, I’m always moved to see it beautifully meld with the written word.
Poet Akpa Arinzechukwu is a Nigerian writer and translator dealing with their numerous identities. Artist Amy Meissner is an artist, writer and mother living in Anchorage, Alaska.