October 31, 2025
The feature focused on a reimagined history of Black girl students in Mississippi.
The ClockWork Academy, curated by Black artist Jennia Fredrique Aponte, reimagines Black academia and history at her Paris Art Week debut.
Presented by Art Melanated, the sold-out collection of pieces made waves at the Also Known As Africa Art Fair (AKAA). The series, titled “Clockwork Academy: School for Girls,” focused on an alternative yet imaginative history of Black girl scholars in the American South. The renowned gallery also made history as the only U.S.-based gallery included in the exhibit, which ran from Oct. 24-26.
The paper pieces set their stories in 1892, when academia champions and uplifts Black girlhood. These portraits focused on the Black girls’ intellect, identity, and power during the Industrial Revolution. One of its most prized works, Bailey, has become a representative piece from the series.
“I love collage, I love paper, and now we’re in Paris, my very first, solo show,” Aponte told BLACK ENTERPRISE.
“There are eight girls from the 1800s and it’s the body of work is designed to shine a light on the greatness of my ancestors.“
Aponte added: “They are the chefs and mathematicians and architects and the true creatives of the artists of America …”
In this era of alternatives, these featured pupils studied the arts and sciences at a revolutionary school founded by Benjamin Banneker’s students. This unheard-of history symbolizes the hope and power found within our future leaders, all by reconnecting with one another through the past.
“When you hear stories about my people in 1892, you think post slavery, you think extreme poverty, you think you know what I mean. You think about sharecropping,” shared Aponte with the AKAA Fair. “But in truth, we were there, in this city that these girls are from, Mound Bayou, Mississippi. It was a self-sustained Black town. It’s a world I created.”
Art Melanated also revealed the supportive response from the Parisian art community and beyond. Local and international visitors found inspiration within this collection, while they hope to charter a new legacy of unity, innovation, and strength from this newfound history.
As Aponte’s first solo international exhibition, the series speaks to her purpose through art, to create new worlds and experiences that revolutionize Black people. An award-winning artist, director, writer, and curator, Aponte helped foster the Art Melanated community as groundbreaking creatives showcase their work.
Now with her own collection out in the world, it furthers her mission while highlighting Black life and creativity. As Paris Art Week finally concludes, those inspired by the exhibition’s themes and impact can also take a signature piece for their own collection. Limited Edition prints of “Bailey” are now available on Art Melanated’s website.
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