For Demond Melancon, a master bead artist and big chief of the Young Seminole Hunters in New Orleans, the art of beading is more than craft; it’s a sacred tradition and historical archive. And it connects him to New York City.
While New Orleans is the heart of his inspiration, an unexpected lifeline has emerged from a place far from his home: New York’s historic Bead District. The vast selection of materials and the city’s art scene have helped Melancon elevate his work and expand the reach of Black Masking Culture into the contemporary art world.
According to a spokesperson, Melancon “goes on bead-buying trips to NYC, and this has helped advance his art form. [He] has a deep connection with Carl Schimel of CJS Sales, a bead wholesaler in New York, on Fifth Avenue. [He] has bought more than 500 pounds of beads from CJS Sales on his bead-buying trips to New York to use … in his artmaking.”
For New Yorkers planning a trip down South, Melancon work has been on display as of Feb. 7, 2025. It will be on view for a year at the Gibbes Museum in the historic city of Charleston, S.C., where Melancon received the 2024 Society1858 prize for Contemporary Southern Art. Visitors can observe “Hatshepsut,” which celebrates a former Egyptian woman ruler during the 1400s, at the museum.
The former Joan Mitchell fellowship recipient, is challenging long-standing gender dynamics in this exhibit and sparking a deeper conversation about the resistance to female leadership across cultures.
“I’ve always told my tribe members that woman is God on Earth and men have problems with women in power. This is the reason to tell her story with my needle and thread,” Melancon told the AmNews.
Melancon explained the role New York plays in his art in a Q&A with the Amsterdam News.
AmNews: How has NYC’s art scene influenced your work compared to your roots in New Orleans?
Demond Melancon (DM): NYC’s art scene influenced my work because when I experienced it, I knew my work belonged there, too. I started traveling to NYC to see art shows about eight years ago, when I began my contemporary art practice. My wife and I had the honor of meeting Toyin Ojih Odutola at one of her exhibitions at the Jack Shainman Gallery, and we’ve stayed in touch with her since. NYC really inspired me, and still [inspires] me, to take my art to another level — to bring my art to a broader audience through the contemporary art world, allowing my work to be recognized as contemporary art rather than being limited or reduced to other categories.
AmNews: Have you drawn inspiration from NYC’s diverse cultural landscape? If so, in what ways?
DM: The diversity and creative energy of NYC resonate with me — it’s a place where different cultures, histories, and narratives intersect, much like New Orleans. There’s a longstanding connection between NYC and New Orleans. Our greatest jazz musicians have been traveling to and playing in NYC for over 100 years. The landscape of NYC also allows me to connect with a wider audience who may not be familiar with the Black Masking Culture, but can experience a connection to it through the language of my beadwork.
AmNews: Are there specific galleries, museums, or neighborhoods in NYC that have shaped your artistic vision?
DM: Harlem carries a deep legacy of Black artistry and culture, and I’ve always been inspired by its history, from the Harlem Renaissance to today’s artists pushing boundaries. I love what the Studio Museum in Harlem does and represents.
AmNews: What do you hope people take away from your work, particularly when it’s showcased in major art hubs like NYC?
DM: I want people to understand that Black Masking Culture is an art form that deserves recognition in the global contemporary art world. My work is about resilience, survival, beauty, and love — it honors the struggles of our ancestors while celebrating our ability to create, innovate, and thrive. It reminds us of the pains of our past while showing us the promise of our future. I hope that when people see my work, they see more than beadwork; they see history, identity, and an unbroken lineage of Black artistry and excellence.
AmNews: Are there any upcoming projects or exhibitions you’re excited about?
DM: I’m currently working on my most ambitious Black Masking Suit yet, inspired by the Amistad rebellion. It will debut in 2026. It will be the culmination of over three years of work and nearly 8,000 hours of sewing. My Ashanti Mask series and Spirit Suit, Mother Yemaya, are included in my first solo museum exhibition, “As Any Means Are Necessary,” which will be opening at the African American Museum in Philadelphia in March 2025. I’m excited about ongoing conversations with institutions and having my work placed in their permanent collections.
AmNews: How do you see your work connecting African artistic traditions with contemporary storytelling?
DM: My work is a direct continuation of African artistic traditions. For example, my new Ashanti Mask series is inspired by the masks of the Akan tribe in modern-day Ghana. These masks were revered for their transformative power to create a conduit for dialogue between the spiritual realm and the physical realm. I seek to honor their power by bringing life to them through my beadwork so they live forever.