Waters of the Abyss: An Intersection of Spirit and Freedom by Fabiola Jean-Louis
June 19—September 28, 2025
Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago Rooms, 2nd Floor North
DCASE Homepage > Chicago Cultural Center > Exhibitions > Waters of the Abyss: An Intersection of Spirit and Freedom
Waters of the Abyss: An Intersection of Spirit and Freedom is a massive and immersive series comprising embellishments of glass, crystals, shells, sand, metal, and stones are intricately merged with paper to create a world where the ancestors reside—a place where, to access our cosmic selves, we must journey through the portal of our existence into the beautiful chaos of nature.
Waters of the Abyss: An Intersection of Spirit and Freedom was organized by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts.
Fabiola Jean-Louis is a visual activest working in photography, paper textile design, and sculpture. Her work examines the intersectionality of the Black experience, particularly that of women, to address the absence and imbalance of historical representation of African-Americans and Afro-Caribbeans. She began taking self-portraits as a matter of convenience, shyness, and because she wanted to use her own body to convey the stories she wanted to tell. Later, her work grew to include other subjects, and costumes, as well as sculptures made entirely out of paper . Today, her practice is focused on experimentation using different techniques and disciplines.
Noon
Gallery Talk
Chicago Rooms, 2nd Floor North
What lies at the heart of freedom? Join DCASE Curator, Elise Butterfield, for an interactive tour featuring the exhibition, Waters of the Abyss: An Intersection of Spirit and Freedom. This tour will explore how the artist, Fabiola Jean-Louis, uses paper mâché to create portals that transcend realms and create crossroads where the wisdom of the past and the possibility of the future collide.

Admission is FREE
Open Daily, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Exhibitions close 15 minutes before the building closes
(Closed Holidays)
Find us:
Chicago Cultural Center
78 E. Washington St.
Chicago, IL 60602

Take CTA to Chicago Cultural Center
- From the elevated lines: exit at Washington/Wabash and walk east.
- From the subway: exit at Lake (Red Line) or Washington (Blue Line) and walk east.
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