Art Exhibition Opening: Threaded Realities — Women, Identity & Fashion

Art Exhibition Opening Reception: Threaded Realities: Women, Identity & Fashion

The Kota Alliance is excited to present the opening reception for our 2025 Art Exhibit, Threaded Realities: Women, Identity & Fashion, on November 6th at 6PM at the Kota Alliance.

Rooted in Harlem’s vibrant fashion culture, this show embraces pieces that explore how fashion serves as a thread of identity, memory, protest, and power. From hand-sewn stories to visual statements, Threaded Realities celebrates fashion as a feminist and communal language—where we dress not to be defined, but to define ourselves.

A special youth section features teen and young adult artists. Beyond echoing the mutually-shared experiences of adult residents, the teenage artists reveal unexpected insights into growing up in Harlem today. While honoring the historic legacy of Harlem’s Black and Latinx communities, this exhibit also empowers younger generations to express their unique relationships to that legacy, while envisioning the future.

The art exhibition will run from November 6th to December 3rd, 2025.

Participating Women and Non-binary Artists

Milagros Batista, Patricia McKenzie, Danielle B. Wright, Brianna Tejeda, Wilhemina Grant-Cooper, Claudia Romero, Janet Stewart, Julia Justo, Katie Godowski, Brenda Amaya, Mesoma Onyeagba, Silvie Cheng, Rose Deler, Shimoda Donna Emanuel, SL Peters, Tomo Mori, Kelly Niceley, Sonia Lerebours, Haileigh Nelson, Ébun Nazon-Power, Gladys Perez, Regina Gradess, Erine McSweeney, and Maria Terreno.

Participating Harlem Teen Artists

Allura Clarke, Maryam Montesino, Florencia Shumak, Jasmyn Lillies, and Selaire Tavarez.

Meet the Curator

Ruthy Valdez is an established surrealist artist and visionary recognized for her deeply symbolic and intensely vibrant compositions.

Valdez's perspective is uniquely informed by her Dominican and Turkish heritage and upbringing in Harlem and Washington Heights. Her work has been exhibited nationally since 2005, is held in hundreds of private collections, and has been featured on major media outlets, including VH1, the Food Network Channel, and ABC.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

HOW TO GET THERE: Kota Alliance is located in the Sugar Hill neighborhood, at 43 St Nicholas Place near 152nd St. between the A/B/C/D 145th Station and C 155th Station, along the M3 bus line. Parking is very limited, with few street spots; the nearest paid lots are at 414 W 155th St and 457 W 150th St.

ACCESSIBILITY: Kota Alliance occupies a historic building, without wheelchair accessibility, with steps inside. (We are fundraising to fix this.) Steps up to the second floor are wide and have a railing for assistance.

PHOTOGRAPHY: By participating in the program, you agree to be photographed for possible use in Kota promotional materials.