Azikiwe Mohammed at Jimmy’s Thrift of New Davonhaime (image courtesy the Knockdown Center and the artist)
Since early September, the Knockdown Center has been converted into a thrift store. Titled Jimmy’s Thrift of New Davonhaime, the space is filled books, paintings, postcards, and records, both found and made by the artist Azikiwe Mohammed; together, they act as a memory bank for the experiences of black and brown people in the US. (The made-up location, New Davonhaime, is a mash-up of the names of the most densely populated black cities in the US.) Each day, Mohammed performs as the store’s owner, accepts donations to its collection of Black Community Family photo albums, and encourages visitors to exchange music using flash drives.
On Friday, DJ Susan Z Anthony will play music from her grandfather Big Jeff’s record collection, which spans the late 1950s to the mid-’70s. Surrounding her will be ephemera from Big Jeff’s time as a DJ, from record sleeves to stickers belonging to the radio stations that he worked at. Besides being a lot fun, the set will be an apt way to commemorate this imaginative exhibition’s last weekend.
When: Friday, October 27, 5–9pm
Where: Knockdown Center (52–19 Flushing Ave, Maspeth, Queens)
More info here.
