An Afternoon with Friends
Gather is our series celebrating the moments that happen when people open their doors and welcome everyone in. In each edition, we visit someone who gathers with intention: a home where every piece has a story, every table is set for more, and the evening has a way of going longer than planned.
Sarah Nsikak, the Nigerian-American artist and designer behind La Réunion, welcomed us into her Brooklyn home for this edition of Gather. She turns reclaimed textiles into hand-appliquéd, patchworked tapestries, drawing on the African diaspora, post-colonial African art and photography, and questions of reclaimed beauty and ancestral connection. Here, she talks simple food, unprecious table settings, and why every surface in her home gets used more than one way.
Tell us about La Réunion.
La Réunion is like a revolving door for my creative expression — it's always changing. It started as a fashion project, and I'm grateful for the lessons that taught me. I'm still making clothing, but the offering has expanded to encompass someone's entire world. It will keep changing, as the reclaimed materials change and as I change. I like having a platform that feels free.
What does a good gathering need?
Simple food, good music, and an eclectic group of funny, creative people.
How do you set a table?
I like the setting to look unprecious, but interesting. I use ceramics from my travels and from artists I love — it's fun to think about who will be there and use wares that I think they would enjoy.
What role does furniture play in a space like yours?
Added beauty and functionality. I use every surface in my home multiple ways, so it's special to have pieces that are high quality and easy to preserve.
Interview has been edited for length and clarity.
