Gio Swaby[1] (born Giovanna Swaby in 1991) is a Bahamian[2] textile artist[3] who grew up in Nassau, Bahamas.[4][5] She currently lives and practices in Toronto, Ontario.[6][3]
Swaby is well known for her textile portraits and silhouettes’ which she has created as "a love letter to Black women".[7] Her works are included in the permanent collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston among others.[6][8]
Early life and education
Gio Swaby grew up in Nassau, Bahamas, with three older sisters and one younger brother. They were raised by their mother who was a seamstress.[7] As a child, Swaby was taught how to sew clothes for her dolls by her mother.[7] Her mother became a direct influence on her approach to art and creation.[4]
Swaby was featured in the September 2022 edition of Essence magazine.[4] Additionally, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) featured Swaby's work in its “Juneteenth Artist Showcase".[10]
Gio Swaby: Fresh Up! first opened at the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, FL on May 28, 2022[11] and was scheduled to run until October 9, 2022,[8] however, due to hurricane Ian, the exhibition was closed one week early on October 2, 2022.[11]Gio Swaby: Fresh Up! is set to open at the Art Institute of Chicago on April 9, 2023.[12]
On April 12, 2022, a monograph of her work was published by Rizzoli Electa to coincide with her first solo museum opening.[14] It includes an exclusive interview between Swaby and Pulitzer Prize winner, Nicole Hannah-Jones.[13]
