Art communicates reality in a way that resonates with us holistically. It evokes emotion we did not know resided within us & allows an empathetic connection with the artist & their experience.
By it, we gain a clearer understanding of cultures & both the beauty & ashes of which they are comprised. For Black history last February, I highlighted 14 Black contemporary artists that influenced how I see the world today.
Now, here are 10 powerful Black women in contemporary art that continue to shine through the darkness & inspire my outlook on life.
Lorraine O’Grady, Art Is…(Troupe Front) (1983) Harlem, New York
Steffani Jemison, Revelation (2017) Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
Deana Lawson, Kingdom Come, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2014) Rhona Hoffman Gallery
Bisa Butler, Portrait of Frederick Douglass (2019) Claire Oliver Gallery
Alma Thomas, Cherry Blossom Symphony (1972) Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Mickalene Thomas, Fancy This Lovely Six Foota (2006) Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
Howardena Pindell, Untitled #49 (2010) Rose Art Musuem
Lezley Saar, Verso 2.3
Nina Chanel Abney, Outer Space, Inner Circle (2020) Art Basel Miami
Wangetchi Mutu, The NewOnes Will Free Us (2019) The Met, New York
I encourage you to explore art as a means of understanding history, culture, & healing. Take the time each day to immerse yourself in beauty- while discovering parts of our world that may be foreign to you.
"How do we deal with abandonment, ruin, decay? How do we start to imagine ourselves as deeper caretakers of the things that exist in the world? Image-making goes hand in hand with identity forming, which goes hand in hand with nation building."
- Theaster Gates
Peace,
Lo