Birmingham Museum of Art Birmingham Musuem of Art

Menu

Skip to content
  • Visit
    • Visitor Information
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Book A School Tour
    • Book an Adult Tour
    • The Museum Shop
    • Plan an Event
    • Oscar’s
    • Accessibility
  • Exhibitions
    • Current
    • Upcoming
    • Student Exhibitions
    • Past Exhibitions
  • Collection
    • Browse the Collection
    • Recent Acquisitions
    • Caring for Art
    • Researching your art
    • Adopt an Artwork
    • Clarence B. Hanson, Jr. Library
  • Medium
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Art on the Rocks
    • Art After 5
    • Bunting Biennial Ceramics Weekend
    • Summer Art Camp
    • Studio School
    • The Museum Ball
  • Membership & Giving
    • Ways to Give
    • Donate
    • Membership
    • Corporate Partners
    • Support Groups
  • About
    • About the Museum
    • Employment
    • Internships
    • RFP
    • Volunteer
    • In the Community

Planting Seeds with Local Artist Kyoka Akers

September 4, 2018 / Community News, Kids and Families, Video

When the Museum’s education department contacted Bessemer native Kyoka Akers about being its 2018 Emerging Artist, she knew what she would create without hesitation: a colorful installation of crochet dolls. However, selecting the subject matter was about as far as the planning went for Akers. She let the dolls tell their ow stories, which manifested into the current exhibition, Crown Jewels. The installation is now view in Bart’s ArtVenture, the Museum’s interactive family gallery.

Akers created the Crown Jewels exhibition through a combination of writing, crocheting, and sewing. It marries all three of Aker’s trades, a rare opportunity in her career as an artist.

“Whatever it is that you do, do it all,” she said. “You don’t have to choose. I always thought I had to choose between my writing and my crocheting, but they both worked with this exhibition, and it wasn’t even intentional.”

Each doll Akers meticulously crafted is original. She chose not to work from a pattern in order to emphasize each doll’s individuality. Akers also refrained from assigning the dolls a background story, something she wanted Museum visitors to develop themselves.

“We are living in a society where everyone wants to be a copy of something, and I just want people to embrace their own uniqueness, whatever that may be and however that may be,” Akers said. “If we are all looking for a sense of self not within ourselves, that’s a problem. I stress uniqueness and individualism because that’s what we need to get back to.”

When asked what she hopes visitors will gain from her exhibition, Akers responded simply, “Confidence. I just really wanted to plant positive seeds.”

For more on Artist Kyoka Akers, follow her on Instagram @Kokos_Originals.

Tagged emerg, Interviews, Kids and Families

By Emma Adcock

Intern

Emma Adcock is a rising senior at The University of Alabama majoring in public relations with minors in psychology and computing technology and applications. She served as the Public Relations Intern for the Marketing & Communications Department in the summer of 2018.

Previous Entry BMA Director Receives NAACP Award
Next Entry Q&A with John Lytle Wilson

Calendar

  1. February 19, 2019

    Studio School

    Morning Makers

  2. ArtBreak

    Plants as Art: A Look at Plant Species in Works of Art

  3. Studio School

    Embroidery

  4. February 21, 2019

    Embodying Faith Drop-In Tour

  5. February 22, 2019

    Embodying Faith Drop-In Tour

View Full Calendar

Newsletter Signup


The mission of the Birmingham Museum of Art is to spark the creativity, imagination, and liveliness of Birmingham by connecting all its citizens to the experience, meaning, and joy of art.

Museum Galleries

Hours

Tuesday-Saturday: 10am-5pm
Sunday: Noon-5pm
First Fridays: open until 9pm
Closed Mondays and Major Holidays
General Admission is FREE

Address

2000 Rev. Abraham Woods, Jr. Blvd
(Formerly 2000 8th Ave. N)
Birmingham, AL 35203
T: 205.254.2565
F: 205.731.9425

Cafe and Library

Oscar's at the Museum

Lunch served 11am-2pm,
Tuesday through Friday
Brunch on select Sundays

Clarence B. Hanson, Jr. Library

By appointment only

Quick Links

  • Book a Tour
  • Event Calendar
  • Join
  • Contact Us
  • Plan an Event
  • smartguide
  • @2009-2014
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter