How do you remember your loved ones?
Photographer Keisha Scarville, this year’s UOVO Prize winner, was born in 1975 to Guyanese parents who had immigrated to New York. In a new installation on our outdoor plaza, Scarville overlays portraits and still lifes onto abstract patterns—many from garments owned by her late mother, Alma. The striking images are filled with mesmerizing details that reward stepping back, looking closely, and reflecting on their meaning.
The “black water” in the installation’s title refers to bodies of water in Guyana that have been darkened by mineral-rich foliage, believed to carry healing properties. Blanketing our front stoop, Scarville’s black-and-white photographs will offer their own form of healing.
Where Salt Meets Black Water is a beautiful way to transform individual remembrance and loss into communal memory. Consider this an invitation to gather with friends and family at the Brooklyn Museum.
Keisha Scarville: Where Salt Meets Black Water is organized by Pauline Vermare, Phillip and Edith Leonian Curator of Photography, with Imani Williford, Curatorial Assistant, Photography, Fashion, and Material Culture.
The UOVO Prize is made possible by
Above: Keisha Scarville, 2026. (Photo: Paula Abreu Pita)
