PROJECTS
... and also
Bio:
Rebecca Marimutu is a New York City-based photographer and educator whose work explores self, identity, and material tactility through photography, collage, and audio-visual abstraction. She is the founder of Anchovy Press, an independent publishing company focused on cultural preservation and personal narratives. Her community-based project, Picturing X, advocates for residents in gentrifying neighborhoods through participatory photography. Rebecca holds an MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and has exhibited at venues like the BlackRock Center for the Arts and the Blue Sky Oregon Center for Photography. She currently teaches at Parsons School of Design.
Artist Statement
Portrait(s) 2020 -
In my ongoing self-examination series, Portrait(s), I explore portraiture by subverting the white gaze through abstraction and deconstruction. I conceal, obscure, and protect my image, challenging the tradition of the archival, precious photograph.Rooted in the idea of art as "the Other," I examine how racial ideologies shape the way Black womanhood is viewed and commodified. Drawing on bell hooks' Black Looks, I question authorship over my image in an art world shaped by white supremacy. Through abstraction, obstruction, and concealment in my self-portraiture, I aim to challenge how I am seen and engage in a protest of Black representation in contemporary art.
Our Mission
At Anchovy Press, we believe in the transformative power of storytelling. Founded by artists Rebecca Marimutu and Priyanka Kumar, our independent publishing company is dedicated to centering Black and Brown experiences through beautifully crafted books that resonate with readers of all backgrounds. We aim to revolutionize the publishing industry by sharing narratives that are often overlooked, ensurin that every one can see themselves in the stories they read.
Why Anchovy Press?
Our name pays homage to the anchovy, an often-overlooked but vital part of the ocean's ecosystem. Just like these small fish, we believe that every story, no matter how small, can create ripples of change. We are committed to building a publishing model that celebrates creativity, inclusivity, and authenticity.
What We Offer
Explore our curated selection of books, zines and prints that are both fun and educational. We focus on creating engaging stories that reflect the richness of diverse cultures and experiences.
Books
Set in Stone
tells the story of Jam-Jam, a young girl in Nashville who takes a trip with her brother to the state Capitol, and learns some surprising things about the statues there! Written by Noah Ramage of the podcast Uncolonial History, this full-color, illustrated narrative is for anyone looking to help a young reader navigate their understanding of Confederate statues and their history.$20.00
Zines
I Invite Myself to Lose Myself | Crystal Frost & Yusuf Kura
Crystal Frost is an artist and illustrator from Washington DC. She says, "As a child my mom took me to various museums throughout the city which birthed my curiosity of fusing old with new, thus fostering my love for abstract and surreal art."
$10.00
To Mom, With Love - Book Karnjanakit
Book Karnjanakit is a queer cartoonist and illustrator originally from Bangkok, now based in Baltimore. Her frequently used media include watercolor, pencil color, collage, and digital.To Mom, With Love is a zine about Mothers Day in Thailand. Celebrated on 12 August (the birthday of the Queen of the Thai monarchy), it is a festival of flowers -- and a special flower at that! Jasmine is usually associated with Mothers Day celebrations in Thailand, and children will often make garlands or bouquets with jasmine for their mothers. Read on to see what happens to our two young zine-folk as they try to make a garland for their mother!
$10.00
Diwali - Samidha Gunjal
Samidha Gunjal is a comic artist from Ahmednagar, India who loves to draw and use wordless comics to express herself. Her work is inspired by the feminine form, nature, and everyday small-town life. She is a published children book illustrator and self taught Linocut Artist.
In this 3-color risograph zine, Samidha takes us on a vibrant journey as she illustrates a childhood memory of Diwali, the festival of lights celebrated in the Indian subcontinent and its diasporas.
$10.00
Zine Boxes
Celebration Zine Box
Includes 3 Rizo Printed zines, a box of crayons, and stickers designed by Nan Zhu$30.00
Harvest Zine Box
Comming soon!!Prints
Silkscreen Aloe Reader
Uneditioned, 3 color silkscreen print in Terracotta, Green, Turmeric Yellow (all custom handmixed color shades!)
9 x 12 print area, paper size differes: some are full bleed crops, others have 1.5 inch white margins.
$25.00
Riso Monstera
2-color risograph print, fluorescent orange and steel.Uneditioned, printed on Springhill White 67 lb Vellum Bristol cardstock at Lucky Pocket Press, Baltimore
$15.00
Want to get it touch!
Picturing Home
Picturing Home is a community-driven photography and storytelling project designed to empower residents of urban neighborhoods to document their lives and environments through the use of disposable cameras. The initiative brings together local artists, residents, and community organizations to preserve the cultural and historical narratives of neighborhoods experiencing rapid gentrification and transformation.
For Rebecca Marimutu, Picturing Home is a deeply personal and purposeful project that aligns her artistic practice with her commitment to social justice and community advocacy. Having grown up in a rent-stabilized apartment in Manhattan and witnessing the effects of gentrification firsthand, Rebecca has long been aware of the destabilizing forces that impact marginalized communities. Her lived experiences with housing insecurity and displacement fuel her desire to use art as a tool for empowerment and preservatio
By distributing cameras and offering photography workshops, Picturing Home encourages participants to share their personal and collective stories through images. These photographs create a visual archive that captures the essence of the community, providing a platform for underrepresented voices. The images are developed into exhibitions, publications, or public art installations, offering a space for residents to share their perspectives with a broader audience.
Past iterations of the project have included neighborhoods like Seton Hill in Baltimore, where photography-centered workshops and public exhibitions provided opportunities for community engagement. Picturing Home challenges traditional narratives of urban development by equipping residents with the tools to document, reclaim, and celebrate their spaces.
Each version of Picturing Home is uniquely tailored to the specific community it serves. The goal is to create a shared visual language that resists displacement and uplifts the stories of those who call these neighborhoods home.
Previous Partners:
Portrait(s) - Kraft Paper
Photography provides the viewer space to look on-to another experience through the safety of their own -- standing outside the frame, and other those who are within. Marimutu works to subvert and orient this space of contemplation that photography provides, by blocking the gaze of the viewer onto the viewed. Her work conceals and protects that which lies under the paper, only showing the borders and edges of what was -- in the process, guiding the viewer to question their role in this obfuscation.
Portrait(s), an exploration of exploitation and repair, consists of large photosensitive Kraft Paper sculptures that are intentionally composed to absorb the surrounding environment onto themselves as they weaken and decay. By creating and repairing these portraits through accessible, durable, and charged materials, Marimutu works to address and remove the material and political hierarchy of picture-making, and imposes her own.
Untitled is an early response to the pandemic. Working through old work, Corners (2016) and new work Exploitation and Repair (2020), Marimutu was continuing her exploration about the spaces she inhabited — institutional and educational spaces from her archive — along with the current discussion about her place within them.
New Spaces (2020) is composed of works in progress that explores the intersection of space and expansion, the distortion of the lens, and the manipulation of the digital and racial landscape that we are a part of. Through these, Marimutu works on repairing and attaching these spaces and imagining them together.
In the Home (2020) addresses how the current pandemic has centered around discussions about the work of being anti racist in domestic and family-focused spaces. Discussions about race have become more internal, as our social access to people continues to shrink. The past year has been a time for introspection on how to personally confront white supremacy, as well as an extended moment to educate ourselves about how we got here. As an artist who has long been working on the tokenization of BIPOC in arts institutions, Marimutu also hopes to extend that critique to the space of our home.
Portrait (s), an Exploitation and Repair (2020)
Photography provides the viewer space to look on-to another experience through the safety of their own -- standing outside the frame, and other those who are within. Marimutu works to subvert and orient this space of contemplation that photography provides, by blocking the gaze of the viewer onto the viewed. Her work conceals and protects that which lies under the paper, only showing the borders and edges of what was -- in the process, guiding the viewer to question their role in this obfuscation.Portrait(s), an exploration of exploitation and repair, consists of large photosensitive Kraft Paper sculptures that are intentionally composed to absorb the surrounding environment onto themselves as they weaken and decay.
By creating and repairing these portraits through accessible, durable, and charged materials, Marimutu works to address and remove the material and political hierarchy of picture-making, and imposes her own.
New Spaces (2020) is composed of works in progress that explores the intersection of space and expansion, the distortion of the lens, and the manipulation of the digital and racial landscape that we are a part of.
Through these, Marimutu works on repairing and attaching these spaces and imagining them together. In the Home (2020) addresses how the current pandemic has centered around discussions about the work of being anti racist in domestic and family-focused spaces. Discussions about race have become more internal, as our social access to people continues to shrink. The past year has been a time for introspection on how to personally confront white supremacy, as well as an extended moment to educate ourselves about how we got here. As an artist who has long been working on the tokenization of BIPOC in arts institutions, Marimutu also hopes to extend that critique to the space of our home.
Portrait(s) Mourning Flowers, 2024
Portrait(s) Mourning Flowers is a deeply personal project where I incorporate flowers that remind me of my mother’s passing. On the day of her funeral, I experienced car troubles that delayed my arrival, causing me to miss the speeches about her. As I left, I took some of the flowers from her service, which eventually died but left me with their seeds. These seeds were pollinated and have since come to symbolize the cycle of life for me.
In my grieving process, I revisited collaged works from 2021 that I had struggled to complete, unsure how to bring them to the vision I desired. Now, with fresh perspective, I’ve reworked them by adding acrylic flowers that evoke my mourning and connection to my mother, who always supported my art and particularly loved my paintings. Some of the pieces also feature newly collaged photographs, blending past and present as I continue to process my grief.
Portrait(s) Mourning Flowers 1, 2024, 24 x 36
Portrait(s) Mourning Flowers 2, 2024, 24 x 36
Portrait(s) Mourning Flowers
Portrait(s) Mourning Flowers 11, 2024, 24 x 36
Portrait(s) Mourning Flowers 8, 2024, 24 x 36
Portrait(s) Mourning Flowers 12, 2024, 8’’ x 10’’
Portrait(s) Divine Mother 2024
"Portrait(s), Divine Mother," featuring 16 photographic self-portraits pays homage to my matriarchal lineage, Caribbean Shaktism, and the familial narrative intertwining them. This project explores the scarce stories from my mother's childhood, including healing a limp arm through a gold arm offering at a temple in Guyana. Through this endeavor, I aim to honor the spiritual heritage of my family while unraveling the personal significance of our family history. Our ancestral worship derives from Shaktism, a spiritual tradition venerating the divine feminine through goddesses like Mariamman and Kali. Raised in a female-dominated household, I am driven to dig into this practice, celebrating the Divine Mother and its profound influence within our familial and spiritual realms.
Portrait(s), Adhered (2021)
In early 2021, I embarked on my artistic journey with the inception of the "Portraits, Adhered" series. This project defies conventional photographic methods by embracing nontraditional techniques that involve digital capture and the direct affixation of self-portraits onto wooden boards using a medley of materials such as wheat-paste, PVA glue, clear acrylic gesso, and staples. Through this unconventional approach, I set out to challenge the prevailing material hierarchies entrenched in contemporary image and media consumption.
The backdrop of self-isolation that permeated this period compelled me to channel my introspection into the ongoing creation of this series. Within "Portraits, Adhered," I transform the image of myself into a dynamic landscape ripe for abstraction and deconstruction. By reimagining my self-portraits in this manner, I strive to provoke contemplation about the multifaceted nature of personal and societal identity.
This artistic exploration has led me to uncover the sculptural dimensions hidden within the realm of photography. By melding the two-dimensional and three-dimensional aspects of the medium, I have transcended traditional boundaries and breathed life into images that transcend mere representation. Through experimentation, innovation, and a deep desire for self-examination, "Portraits, Adhered" has become a testament to my unwavering commitment to disrupting norms and pushing the boundaries of artistic expression.
Portraits, Contact (2022)
In "Portrait(s), Contact 2022," I introduce a dynamic integration of gestural materials, such as paint and oil pastels. Through this unique approach, I redeine the conventional sanctity associated with archival imagery, boldly leaving my physical mark upon the pictorial plane. During the creation of my works in 2022, my artistic journey predominantly unfolded within the confines of the studio. I only occasionally ventured outside to print archival versions of my studio actions. These archival prints serve as a response to the inherent impermanence of my 2021 works, ensuring their enduring legacy. The intricate process involves printing, enhancing through painting, cutting, or dissolving the photograph, and finally scanning to create a meticulously preserved archive. The result is an archival print that outlasts the original, challenging preconceptions regarding authenticity and value.
Throughout this series, I pose questions that dissect the essence of the original, explore the true nature of a photograph, and unravel the intersections where illusion and authenticity entwine. I closely examine how scanned artworks manipulate our perceptions of the real and the artificial. As a Black woman navigating diverse spaces, I contemplate the moment when my artistic work is recognized as authentic, original, and invaluable. This ongoing exploration remains at the heart of my artistic practice, inviting viewers to join me on a journey of introspection and discovery.
Portrait(s) Coated (2023)
In 2023, I took a distinct turn back towards experimentation and one-of-a-kind peices. In the spirit of creative play, I prioritized the joy that art-making and the exploration of materials can bring.
With a deep fascination for the materiality of paper and its inherent duality as both a two-dimensional and three-dimensional medium, I embarked on a creative exploration that resulted in the birth of unique sculptures and photographic collages. These artworks are not only a celebration of paper but also incorporate unconventional elements such as cement, resin, and studio debris.
Central to my practice is the belief in self-sufficiency, where every aspect of the creative process unfolds within the confines of my studio. This commitment to a self-sustained practice allows for a connection between myself and the materials I work with, fostering a sense of ownership over each creation.
Throughout the year, I remained rooted in the ongoing exploration of self-portraiture, endeavoring to push the boundaries of my artistic expression. These one-of-a-kind pieces reflect a desire to embrace both the expansiveness of my vision and the authenticity of physical form.
Monoprints on Mixed Media Paper![]()
Work From Home 2020
2. September
3. October, 2020
4. November, 2020
Baltimore, (2018)
In 2016, after four years away at college, I returned to my childhood home, only to find my neighborhood unrecognizable. The streets that once felt familiar were now lined with construction sites and newly developed buildings, each symbolizing a piece of the community that was slowly vanishing. "Rebuilding Home" emerged from this experience—a personal journey to document the rapid changes that have redefined the neighborhood I grew up in.
Using a blend of film and digital photography, I began capturing moments of transformation: construction zones, displaced families, and fleeting interactions between longtime residents and newcomers. Each image is an attempt to hold onto the memory of what was, while coming to terms with what is. The tension between nostalgia and progress fuels this ongoing body of work, which reflects both a personal sense of loss and a broader narrative of urban displacement.
"Rebuilding Home" isn't just about physical change; it’s about the emotional and cultural shifts that occur as communities evolve. My dedication to documenting neighborhoods undergoing these transitions is rooted in my desire to preserve the stories, the people, and the places that are often overlooked in the face of gentrification. Through this project, I aim to create a visual archive that speaks to the resilience of communities and the complexities of urban life, inviting viewers to reflect on their own relationships to home, memory, and change.
Selected Portraits, 2016
India (2016)
Maryland (2016)
New Paltz & (2016)
New York City (2016)
Albany (2015)
West Village (2015)
Tissue (2015)
Corners (2015)
Permanent, Ephemeral, (2019)
Plastic Hands (2019)
Scans of reapproprated Plastic Material & my hand
Packed Bags, 2019
Projection 2018
Sheet Plastic, (2019)
