BOOK — MALENE DJENABA BARNETT

CRAFTED KINSHIP:
A Journey Through Black Caribbean Creativity

Published by Artisan Books, 2024

I spent four years making Crafted Kinship. The book is a vibrant celebration of over 60 contemporary Black Caribbean makers reshaping the boundaries of art and design. Through powerful interviews and stunning photography, the book immerses readers in a rich tapestry of multidisciplinary creativity — from bold ceramics to intricate textiles. Each maker shares personal stories around identity, Black womanhood and manhood, and the complex legacies of migration and diaspora, connecting heritage with innovation in ways that inspire and captivate.

Now two years since its launch, I'm proud that Crafted Kinship is available globally — at your local bookstore, online, in museum shops, and in libraries. And the book tour has taken me across the US, Canada, Europe, and the Caribbean.

As Featured In

Forbes · Interior Design · The Brooklyn Rail, Studio Magazine, Luxe Interiors & Design, Colossal, Print Mag and more

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Read the Review

“This collection of interviews serves as a crucial record of the Caribbean arts and design landscape today and foreshadows the global movements to come…it is essential reading for our time.”

— Karen Carter, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Black Artists' Networks in Dialogue
“Visually stunning, Crafted Kinship by Malene Barnett offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of Black Caribbean artistry. Through compelling interviews and beautiful photographs, featured artists share their cultural background that influences their creative practice. This book serves as a celebration of the rich artistic landscape of the Caribbean.”

— V. Joy Simmons, MD, Collector
“With an exceptional selection of artists who practice with painting, sculpture, video, installation, and beyond, this book presents a kaleidoscopic perspective of contemporary Caribbean art.”

— Maria Elena Ortiz, Curator, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
“Crafted Kinship is a beautifully designed and well-crafted vessel that houses and honors the ancestorial energy of the past. Barnett reminds us that we should never forget the creative ingenuity of the Caribbean diaspora. Despite fragmentation, dislocation, and colonialism, the archive is living and is transmitted through the hands and movement of bodies. The narratives presented are both forms of resistance and celebrations of everyday life.”

— Myron M. Beasley, Ph.D., Professor of American Studies & Curator, Bates College
”Malene Barnett has once again proven herself to be at the forefront of current efforts to showcase the works, heretofore invisible if not forgotten, of African peoples’ contributions in design. Her book is timely and necessary in promoting creative voices of peoples who have existed since the foundation of creative making who have been, until very recently, lost to history, hidden in plain view.”

— Jack Travis, Architect
“Through a series of endearing and insightful interviews, Malene Barnett’s Crafted Kinship celebrates, acknowledges and challenges the traditions of our foremothers and fathers from the African diaspora who created out of a different kind of necessity. This tome is a celebration of new and seasoned Black creatives from the Caribbean whose work speaks to their search for meaning and inspiration through their heritage. “

— Ivy N. Jones, Founder and Director, Welancora Gallery
“Malene's groundbreaking book serves as a powerful testament to the extraordinary individuals who have shaped the Caribbean diaspora. Each artist’s story within its vibrant and captivating pages resonates deeply. Now, with this newfound inspiration, I am more determined than ever to elevate these artists and their stories to the forefront.”

— Mashonda Tifrere, Founder, Art Genesis