ABOUT THE SCULPTURES
Darius Steward’s first three-dimensional artwork, a grouping of child-sized sculptures designed in the likenesses of his own children, is a part of a series titled “In Search of New Beginnings.” The artwork draws from an earlier series of his, “Baggage Claim,” which focused on how we see each other’s baggage.
This new series is about letting go of baggage and looking to the future. The series seeks to create a dialogue around race and identity. Steward says, “If we have a starting point…we can start to break from some of these barriers. It’s based on coming to a place where we all carry something.” The pieces were fabricated by Toledo-based Graphite Design + Build and hand-painted by Steward.
As a complement to this sculptural work, Steward designed a temporary mural that has been added to the exterior of the Cleveland Public Library’s Harvard-Lee branch.
ABOUT THE MURALS
This artwork, part of a series called “In Search of New Beginnings,” shows Darius Steward’s daughter, son, and nephew peering forward, searching for a new beginning. Steward began by creating a watercolor painting on paper from family photographs. He then scanned the painting, altered it digitally, and printed it on vinyl.
The artwork draws from an earlier series of his, “Baggage Claim,” which focused on how we see each other’s baggage. This new series is about letting go of baggage and looking to the future. The series seeks to create a dialogue around race and identity. Steward says, “If we have a starting point…we can start to break from some of these barriers. It’s based on coming to a place where we all carry something.” Sculptures from the “New Beginnings” series are installed at the Cleveland Public Library’s Eastman Reading Garden downtown for the summer and early fall of 2021.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Darius Steward is an American artist from East Cleveland, Ohio. He completed his undergraduate studies at the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2008 and earned an MFA from the University of Delaware in 2010.
Steward’s work addresses cultural and societal conflicts and opens conversation across racial, socioeconomic, gender, and cultural lines. He is a full-time artist, father, and teacher at Laurel School, as well as a part-time curator at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
ABOUT SEE ALSO
See Also is derived from a library cataloging term for “look here.” The program brings innovative and thought-provoking temporary works of art each summer to the Eastman Reading Garden at the Cleveland Public Library. The artwork complements the library’s broad range of cultural programming.