Opening May 8, Keisha Scarville: Where Salt Meets Black Water at the Brooklyn Museum
Opening May 8, Keisha Scarville: Where Salt Meets Black Water will activate the Brooklyn Museum’s Iris Cantor Plaza. Designed by Brooklyn-born photographer and recipient of the 2026 UOVO Prize, Keisha Scarville (Brooklyn, New York, 1975), the site-specific outdoor installation transforms individual remembrance and loss into communal memory and shared belonging while offering a meaningful tribute to the Caribbean diaspora. Where Salt Meets Black Water will be on view through October 2026.
Rooted in a practice that combines photography, collage, and archival materials, Scarville’s work explores themes of migration, memory, and absence through a deeply personal lens. Born in Brooklyn to Guyanese parents who immigrated to New York in the 1960s, the artist draws from her own family history to examine the emotional resonance of inherited objects and images. The Museum’s stoop and adjacent walls feature vinyl reproductions of black-and-white photographs and still lifes, many drawn from Scarville’s series Mama’s Clothes, in which she overlays imagery onto garments that belonged to her mother. By bringing together photography, fabric, and architectural space, Scarville creates a gathering place for healing on the steps of the Iris Cantor Plaza.
As the recipient of this year’s UOVO Prize, Scarville will also unveil a mural on the facade of UOVO’s Brooklyn facility in Bushwick. Scarville’s installation on the facade of UOVO Brooklyn features an archival photograph that her mother purchased when she moved to the United States in the 1960s, and which Scarville has preserved. This image depicting a mother and child is juxtaposed against a garment belonging to the artist’s mother. Both works offer a poignant tribute to Scarville’s mother, evoking her memory through textiles and photography.
“Upon my mother’s passing, all her belongings came into my possession, forming a bridge between her life and my work. Over time, my relationship with these items has changed—they have shifted from being everyday objects to becoming sacred emblems that hold memories and carry emotional significance for me," says Scarville. "I invite others to engage and dwell within these visual spaces, where her presence, the Caribbean, and Brooklyn are all vibrant and alive."
On view just before Mother’s Day, the installation offers a timely space for reflection on motherhood and enduring connection. On Sunday, May 10, the Museum will host a day of programming tied to Mother’s Day, honoring mothers, caregivers, and loved ones with creative hands-on experiences for all ages. Visitors can make vibrant bouquets from a mobile flower truck presented in partnership with Brownstone Botanical, join pop-up talks that explore motherhood in art, and create Mother’s Day cards inspired by Where Salt Meets Black Water.
“Scarville’s work transforms the language of photography and material into something deeply personal yet universally felt,” says Pauline Vermare, Phillip and Edith Leonian Curator of Photography, Brooklyn Museum. “Opening this installation in time with Mother’s Day feels especially meaningful, honoring the enduring bond between mother and daughter while inviting visitors to reflect on their own loved ones who have shaped their lives.”
Keisha Scarville: Where Salt Meets Black Water is organized by Pauline Vermare, Phillip and Edith Leonian Curator of Photography, Brooklyn Museum.
About the Brooklyn Museum
For 200 years, the Brooklyn Museum has been recognized as a trailblazer. Through a vast array of exhibitions, public programs, and community-centered initiatives, it continues to broaden the narratives of art, uplift a multitude of voices, and center creative expression within important dialogues of the day. Housed in a landmark building in the heart of Brooklyn, the Museum is home to an astounding encyclopedic collection of more than 140,000 objects representing cultures worldwide and over 6,000 years of history—from ancient Egyptian masterpieces to significant American works, to groundbreaking installations presented in the only feminist art center of its kind. As one of the oldest and largest art museums in the country, the Brooklyn Museum remains committed to innovation, creating compelling experiences for its communities and celebrating the power of art to inspire awe, conversation, and joy.
About UOVO: Art, Fashion, Wine
UOVO is the premier luxury storage and logistics provider for fine art, fashion, and wine. With 30 facilities across the United States, our expert team of industry professionals offers bespoke solutions to meet the specialized needs of any collection. UOVO offers comprehensive stewardship of both world-class commercial and personal collections at our purpose-designed, state-of-the-art facilities. From maintenance, preservation, archiving, and cataloging to shipping, storage, and installation, UOVO goes beyond storage to create a unique experience on par with elite hospitality, managed through one-to-one personal relationships and full digital optimization.
Please visit the Brooklyn Museum’s site for more information about the exhibit. The Museum can also be found on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. For more information about UOVO, please visit their site here.
