Black History Month: Dawn Okoro
Psst… I can’t hold onto this secret any longer. I found Black gold the other day. She’s another phenomenal artist who inspires me. Let’s talk about:
Gold leaf — lots of it — is the first thing you notice about Dawn Okoro’s recent work. Think “shining star” rather than “ancient religious art.” She draws inspiration from a female hip-hop artist who has “the ability to shine in an industry that marginalizes the contributions of women.”
The metaphor works just as well to describe visual artists. In a survey of 31 museums, an art industry analysis showed only .5% of their acquisitions were created by Black women. As the report noted, “The overall trend in terms of acquisitions is upward, but the numbers remain staggeringly small.“
Here are a couple reasons I’m attracted to Okoro’s work:
It’s joyful, in a era that rarely allows for moments of Black joy
The women she portrays are active participants in life, not ornaments or objects to be consumed.
Besides social media, you can also see Okoro’s work in season two of “Law and Order: Organized Crime,” in film, and previously on a brand of bottled water. I believe the sentiment that fits Okoro best is “It’s her world; we just live in it.”
More Black artist goodness tomorrow. See you then.
Black History Month: Alison Saar
Welcome back! I’m continuing my blog series on visual and literary Black artists who inspire me. Let’s talk about:
Alison Saar is probably best known for her massive found-object sculptures that explore the experience of Black women throughout the African diaspora. She’s also an accomplished printmaker; many of the 2D works influence her larger sculptures. I was fortunate enough to meet her during the opening of her solo exhibition “Mirror Mirror: The Prints of Alison Saar,” which ran concurrently with the group exhibition in which I showed my own work.
Alison Saar and I in front of my work at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at WSU. Photo credit: Ryan Hardesty
I can’t say this too many times: art is best experienced in person, especially sculpture. Some of the reasons Saar inspires me:
She uses a chainsaw to shape some of her largest sculptures
She often prints on surfaces whose history carries almost as much meaning as the images themselves
The empty eyes in her prints are both a little spooky and easier to look at than a traditional painting, but I can’t explain why.
And in case you were wondering, yes, Alison’s mother is assemblage artist Betye Saar, whom I profiled last week.
Tomorrow’s artist makes work that gives the opposite vibe. See you then.
Black History Month: Amy Sherald
In my Black History Month blog post series, some of you have discovered new-to-you artists. But I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of this person. Let’s talk about:
If you don’t know Amy Sherald’s name, you almost certainly have seen her work: she painted First Lady Michelle Obama’s official portrait. The painting was so popular, when the National Portrait Gallery put it on display in 2018, the portrait had to be moved to a bigger room just to accommodate the crowds that came view it.
Before this happened, I found Sherald’s work on Instagram and DM’d with her a couple times. This gives me the irrational desire to yell “I knew about her first!” when other people gush over Sherald’s work.
Amy Sherald, “Freeing Herself Was One Thing, Taking Ownership of that Freed Self Was Another.” Photo creditf: Hauser & Wirth
I don’t have a favorite piece, but this one comes close. It references one of the most poignant lines in the novel Beloved, by Toni Morrison. (I profiled the literary giant earlier this month.) So many reasons to love Sherald’s work, but here are just a few:
She paints in the grisaille style specifically because she wants you to look at the person and see more than their skin color or a set of pre-conceived notions about Black people
Her subjects are quiet, but clearly Thinking About Things
I recognize some of the subjects from a Library of Congress photo collection I love
Sherald’s backstory is pretty impressive too: years working as a restaurant server, a four-year hiatus from art during which she cared for ill relatives, and surviving a heart transplant. But now she’s here and thriving. With massive style, I might add.
Check back in tomorrow for the next inspiring artist.