Transforming Sunset Boulevard into a Cry for Rest, Led by Patrisse Cullors
In a world that frequently demands Black women to embody resilience instead of finding peace, Patrisse Cullors, an artist, author, and abolitionist, has opened up a portal. This portal doesn't ask for permission to rest, but instead demands it to be witnessed. Her latest project, titled "Black Woman Rest," challenges a society that often overlooks Black women's need for space and rest.
Cullors' work takes up space through the West Hollywood Moving Image Media Art Program (MIMA), a public exhibition series reclaiming digital billboards as sites for artistic expression. Setting its roots at 9157 Sunset Blvd, "Black Woman Rest" will appear at the top of every hour from February 1 to May 31, 2025. MIMA, which dedicates 17.5% of each hour to moving image artwork, aims to celebrate diversity and reaffirm West Hollywood as a cultural and artistic epicenter.
Filmed in the boundless backdrop of Joshua Tree, "Black Woman Rest" transforms the desert into an altar, inviting viewers to witness the sacred act of a Black woman resting. Featuring performer Dr. Avriel Epps, or King Avriel online, the ten-minute film embodies a meditative reclamation of rest. Inspired by Tricia Hersey's Nap Ministry and Cullors' Abolitionist Meditations practice, "Black Woman Rest" is more than an artistic intervention; it's a direct challenge to the centuries-old commodification of Black labor.
"Black Woman Rest" isn't merely a call for rest, but a return to self, body, and the quiet spaces where Black women need not perform, produce, or protect. In a nation that has built its economic and cultural infrastructure on Black women's labor, this radical act of resting challenges the notion that it's something Black women must earn. It's a privilege, not a birthright, and to exist outside of labor is seen as a betrayal.
Cullors disrupts this extractive economy by presenting "Black Woman Rest," calling for a collective reorientation towards a future where rest is recognized as an essential and non-negotiable human right. The billboard, much like the work itself, is confrontational in its stillness, asking observers to unlearn how they celebrate Black women only during movement, struggle, or overcoming. It encourages them to see rest not as a luxury, but an inalienable right.
Patrisse Cullors' "Black Woman Rest" serves as a love letter, a prayer, a directive that Black women are worthy of rest—right now, and not just after hard work is done or the revolution comes. It's a reminder that honoring Black women's rest is not just about them, but about reimagining the cultural and spiritual paradigm of Black women's rest, resistance, and reclamation.
In delving deeper into her inspiration and artistic process, Cullors sat down with contributor Ashlee Marie Preston to discuss the urgency and transformative potential of "Black Woman Rest." This intimate conversation illuminates Cullors' dedication to exploring rest as a radical act and the importance of prioritizing Black women's well-being.
- Patrisse Cullors, a black media figure known for her art, authorship, and abolitionist stance, has initiated a project entitled "Black Woman Rest."
- The Nap Ministry, inspired by Tricia Hersey, has significantly influenced Cullors' "Black Woman Rest," advocating for the recognition of rest as essential for black women.
- Cullors has partnered with the West Hollywood Moving Image Media Art Program (MIMA) to display "Black Woman Rest" on digital billboards, promoting the notion that black women deserve rest as a birthright, not a privilege.
- In "Black Woman Rest," Cullors challenges the centuries-old commodification of black women's labor, redefining rest as an integral part of black wellness and intersectional feminism.
- The artwork, showcased in Los Angeles from February 1 to May 31, 2025, demands attention and reconsiders how society celebrates black women – not only in moments of struggle, but also during periods of rest and healing.
- In an interview with Ashlee Marie Preston, Cullors discussed her muse and creative approach to "Black Woman Rest," emphasizing the urgency to nurture black women's physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.
- With "Black Woman Rest," Cullors has reaffirmed her commitment to advocating for black women, using art as a powerful weapon to contest societal expectations and rebuild a cultural framework that encourages and respects the rest black women inherently deserve.
