In Stan Squirewell’s most recent solo exhibition, Robitussin, Hotcombs & Grease, at the Claire Oliver Gallery in Harlem earlier this year, he offered a poignant meditation on Black domestic life, memory, and inheritance. Drawing from anonymous archival photographs sourced from the Smithsonian and private family collections, Squirewell transformed historical images into fascinating mixed-media portraits that honored the quiet rituals of everyday Black existence.
Featured image: Summers In Da Souf, 2025, artist printed photos collaged with paint and glitter.
Cabbage, 2024. Artist printed photos collaged with paint and glitter.
Girls on Saturn, 2024. Artist printed photos collaged with paint and glitter.
The exhibition’s title—Robitussin, Hotcombs & Grease—referenced familiar household items that resonate deeply within Black communities. Through them, Squirewell evoked themes of care, resilience, and intergenerational continuity. These simple objects served as anchors in the artist’s visual storytelling, representing both the intimacy and universality of home life.
Each work was also a vivid collage layered with expressive brushstrokes, shimmering glitter, patterns, and even luxury-brand iconography, a contrast that bridges ancestral memory with contemporary culture. The figures, often drawn from forgotten or unnamed photographs, were reimagined as icons—beautiful, and dignified. In doing so, Squirewell reclaimed histories that have long been overlooked or erased, offering visibility to the invisible. The images were sourced from the Smithsonian Institute, as well as historic images of his own friends’ and family’s distant relations.
Hot Curlers and Vaseline, 2025. Artist printed photos collaged with paint and glitter.
Adding depth to his process, Squirewell encased his pieces in hand-carved shou sugi ban frames—a traditional Japanese wood-charring technique. These dark, textured borders acted as both armor and altar, turning each artwork into a sacred vessel of remembrance. “My new work is a reflection of my upbringing and the profound influence of ancestry,” said Squirewell. “Growing up, I was shaped by elders around me, and everyday objects like Robitussin, hotcombs, and grease became vessels for the rituals that anchored me to my heritage. These items transcend their mundane uses: they embody traditions passed down through generations, grounding me in a collective identity.”
Oooh Miss Pamela, if I Was a Little Bit Older, 2025.Artist printed photos collaged with paint and glitter in a hand carved shu shugi ban frame.
Thaddeus Jackson and Joe, 2025. Artist printed photos collaged with paint and glitter in a hand carved shu shugi ban frame.
Gamen, 2025. Artist printed photos collaged with paint and glitter in a hand carved shu shugi ban frame.
Robitussin, Hotcombs & Grease ultimately stood as a celebration of heritage and identity. It was a dialogue between past and present, domestic and divine—a visual hymn to family, community, and survival. Through his deft blend of archival material and contemporary aesthetics, Squirewell affirmed that the everyday lives of Black people were not just worthy of art—they are the art itself.
