WHICH BLACK ART PILL WILL YOU TAKE?

What constitutes Black art? Collector and art historian Michael K Butler, MD, MHA, CPE, of Griot Galleryin Miami emphatically states, “Black artists do Black art period.”

Gallerist September Gray in front of work by Kevin Cole

Black artists, like all artists, do the work that moves them and us; the work that pays their bills; the work that shocks; the work that elevates; the work that confounds, and the work that many times allowed them to enter rooms from which they were barred. Black artists can do any type of work they choose, and we are all the better for having more of their work, in every form, in the world.

In December, September Gray Gallery in Atlanta mounted an exhibition during Art Miami at the contemporary art show Red Dot. While all of the artists were Black, none of the work was representational. The works by artists Jamele Wright Sr., Kevin Cole, Michael Scoffield, Ato Riberio and Eleanor Nealincluded textiles, paintings and sculptures which Gray says are a reflection of historical and cultural significance. The gallerist went a step further and added photos of the artists alongside their work. The show was beautiful, radical in its simplicity and expertly curated, kudos September. Gray’s tip: Don’t sleep on Neal’s work.

Pigment International’s list of exhibitions to see in 2023 included Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina. This exhibit has opened our eyes to the legacy of Black potters and here in Chicago we are fortunate to have a legacy handed down from Sapphire & Crystals co-founder and ancestor Marva Jolly and carried on by Juarez Hawkins. We must open ourselves to all these manifestations of Black art. Of note, a group of local experts called into question missing or misrepresented historical evidence regarding the Potters of Old Edgefield in a recent editorial.

Collectives like the Florida Highwaymen found a way to feed their families selling art. Their iconic Florida landscapes conjure a moment in time and are highly sought after, with prices into the five figures. The examples are endless. Dr. Butler suggests engraver, watercolorist and landscape artist Norma Morgan, as an underrepresented painter.

So, will you take the Blue Pill and experience just one flavor of Black art or will you take the Red Pill and taste the rainbow?

Read this week’s Pigment Newsletter here.