Chandra was selected to transform a jail bed as part of JusticeLA’s artist activation. This art project was formed to reclaim, reimagine and reinvest the proposed $3.5 billion dollars Los Angeles County wanted to allocate to building two new jails.
RUBY 101: “They call her Ruby” [In an effort to lend intimacy and familiarity with one woman living in these conditions]
Twelve times a year incarcerated women bleed. Adequate menstrual hygiene products are not always provided and many times inmates make their own tampons. They rip apart strips from extra large pads and twist them between their fingers. They then roll and wrap the fabric tying it into a knot with enough extra fabric to pull from. These items are not sanitized and are commonplace. I would like to highlight the most basic of need for our sisters within the injustice system.
For this project upon the bed, pulled pillow interiors flow into long dangling strips of white fabric. Some flow in the wind with no home. Others fall to the ground streaming toward the audience and morphing into hues of bright ruby red and garnet. Emulating the monthly handmade items the women make within.
Chandra Anderson’s bed, at Melrose Avenue and Crescent Heights Boulevard, focused on the thousands of incarcerated women in the country.
Her bed’s theme, designed with white cloth and mannequin hands dipped in red paint, accented the special challenges faced by female inmates.
“Adequate feminine hygiene products are not always provided, and many times inmates make their own tampons,” Anderson said.
Coalition merges art and activism for holiday message about mass incarceration
BY MICHAEL LIVINGSTON for The Los Angeles Times
UPDATE: This art project with JusticeLA, spanning all 88 cities within Los Angeles County, achieved a remarkable success. Years of effort from countless Angelenos, including the impactful Jail Bed Drop, led to a significant divestment of $3.5 billion allocated for building two new jails in Los Angeles. This stands as a huge win for the community and a compelling example of how art can effectively raise awareness and drive change on important issues. The success of this project highlights the necessity of art as a potent tool for social impact and positive transformation.
THRIVE
THRIVE is a living art installation that celebrates feminine power through a vibrant array of Silver Dollar Eucalyptus, Baby Blue Eucalyptus, Seeded Eucalyptus, Ruscus, Pepperberry, Carnation, Camellia, Myrtle, and Monstera Leaves. Depicting the female reproductive system, this lush floral piece honors the beauty of women in every phase of life—from menstrual cycles to childbirth and aging. The incorporation of living elements invites viewers to experience the evolving moons of a woman’s body, as the greenery wilts and changes colors over time, symbolizing the enduring beauty and resilience of womanhood across the ages.
Elements: Silver Dollar Eucalyptus, Baby Blue Eucalyptus, Seeded Eucalyptus, Ruscus, Pepperberry, Carnation, Camellia, Myrtle and Monstera Leaves, wire and tape.
Crowned Kings: Run with Maud Social Justice Project – Balsa Wood + Paint
This poignant art and video project serves as a powerful visual commentary on the pervasive issues of injustice and racism in our country. The centerpiece of the project is a meticulously crafted balsa wood crown, symbolizing the tragic loss of Ahmaud Arbery, who fell victim to a hate crime while innocently jogging in his neighborhood. The crown is deliberately adorned with dripping black paint, resembling tears that memorialize the profound sorrow and injustice surrounding Arbery’s untimely death. Resting on a solid marble base, the project further explores the depth of systemic and structural elements at play, emphasizing the roots of racial injustice. Through the medium of art, this project not only pays homage to his life but also serves as a compelling call to action, urging society to address and rectify the underlying systemic failures that allowed such a heinous crime to occur and without immediate repercussions. It stands as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for justice and equality in the face of racial injustice, grounded in the recognition of broader institutional challenges.
ACT NOW: Sign the petition: runwithmaud.com Call & Demand Justice: 770.800.0689
Video and handmade crown by: Chandra Anderson
Music: Diatribes by Patricia Bosshard (Via FMA)
THE EPHEMERAL SERIES
In the enchanting realm of a video and photography series centered on the ephemeral, viewers are beckoned to immerse themselves in a profound journey of transient beauty and fleeting moments. In a world constantly in flux, the series serves as a poignant reminder of the necessity for moments of pause and reflection, inviting individuals to embrace the present and revel in the ephemeral nature of existence. Amidst the chaos of our fast-paced lives, the eyes grapple with the ever-shifting forms within the videos, compelling the observer to be fully present and savor each passing form and moment. As the series unfolds, it becomes a sanctuary for introspection and mindfulness, urging the audience to disconnect from the hustle and bustle, finding solace and tranquility in the delicate dance of impermanence. May this evocative collection of visuals create a space for pause and peace, offering a respite from the constant motion and allowing the beauty of the ephemeral to be truly appreciated.
THE ARCHETYPE SERIES
Chandra, a multidisciplinary artist with an architectural background, merges self-portraiture with photographs from her travels in Italy and Croatia in the series “Archetype.” This creative fusion intertwines the human form with architectural marvels, portraying buildings as an outer shell resembling clothing. Chandra’s work challenges boundaries, offering a visually captivating narrative that harmonizes the organic curves of the human body with the rigid lines of historic structures, bridging art and architecture.
The Melanin Collection with VSCO, Featured Photographer
The Melanin Collection is cultivating a visual voice for the Black Community on VSCO. Chandra was a featured photographer for her portrait of artist Blue The Great.