Braids & Threads: Connecting Legacies was organized by artists Monica Jahan Bose and Autumn Spears at Washington Project for the Arts. Rooted in their diasporic heritages, both artists incorporate skills passed down through generations into their practices—Bose through sewing and textiles, and Spears through crocheting and hair braiding techniques learned from family and community. Their ongoing intergenerational conversations, spanning Gen X and Gen Z perspectives, sparked new energy and direction in both of their practices, culminating in this first-time collaboration.

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Through a series of conversations—some recorded as podcasts—the artists explored themes of heritage, motherhood, ancestry, and inherited knowledge. Together, they considered how reconnecting with these traditions within contemporary art-making can foster resilience, healing, and community connection.

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Inspired by the stories and ideas that emerged from these exchanges, Bose and Spears created new works and a site-specific installation within WPA’s project space using multilingual text, embroidery, braiding, sewing, crochet, fiber art, and printmaking. Designed as both an exhibition and an active workspace, the project evolved over time while inviting artists, neighbors, and community members to participate through storytelling, conversation, and collaborative art-making.