Troy Chew

Too Many Names

Too Many Names by Troy Chew is a patchwork of contemporary Black culture and resistance, including hand-sewn symbols and patterns found in the coats of arms of the kings of the Dahomey region (now Benin) that ruled from 1600-1900. This painting is part of the series Out the Mud, a longterm project in which the artist explores African American history through the lens of traditional mudcloth techniques found in the West African countries involved in the Transatlantic-slave trade. The title of the series references the technique and materials for making mudcloth. The process is passed down generationally, and oftentimes, unique pattern meanings are known only to small communities of people.

Certain elements of the painting are recognizable as memetic scenes of contemporary Black subjugation. The scenes in the top left and bottom right depict singular Black figures being held at gunpoint by uniformed figures. One image references Adam Brown, who was kicked from behind during his false arrest in Sacramento. The other illustrates the police shooting of Jacob Blake, who woke up paralyzed and handcuffed to his hospital bed. Chew’s intentional obliteration of the subjects’ faces speak to the reality that these men are interchangeable for countless more, including the artist himself. 

The brightly-colored, hand-sewn appliqués are totems of Abomey (Benin); they include arms, a lion, and a fish with sharp teeth. These patterns are rich in cultural significance, referring to historical battles, mythological concepts, or Malian proverbs. Historically, the most frequent use of mudcloth in the Dahomey region was in the transcription of a king’s allegorical identity (wild animals that represented strength or wisdom) and his conquests, battles, and weaponry.