MOKI CHERRY

Moki Cherry was born in Norbotten, Sweden in 1943. While growing up her family moved around the country to wherever her father ran the station house and her mother the post office. Since early childhood Moki was absorbed by the world of animals and nature, choosing to spend most of her time in the forest instead of with other children. Moki moved to Stockholm in 1962 to study fashion and textiles at Beckman’s School of Design. Her practice later developed into painting, tapestry, music, set design, theatre, sculpture, ceramics, and collage.

Moki first met the jazz musician Don Cherry in 1963 in Stockholm, while he was on tour with Sonny Rollins. In the following years Don returned to Stockholm on various tours and eventually he and Moki decided to build a life together. After graduating from Beckman’s in 1966 Moki travelled to New York to work in fashion design, but instead the collaborations between her and Don began to take centre stage in her life. While Don was recording the record _Where is Brooklyn? _(Blue Note, 1969) Moki created the album artwork, which was the first of many album covers that she made for his music. During this time in New York Moki began making paintings, tapestries, and costumes, of which many were used to create colourful environments for Don’s performances and albums.

Text courtesy the artist