Black Art is a celebration and recognition of black artist from the African diaspora around the world that have been influencing the visual culture for centuries. It is used as a way of communication and expression, documenting feelings, thoughts and events. Like all art, Black Art is left for the world to interpret. Black Art is particularly important, since historically Black people have suffered from oppression, Art has given Black people an alternative voice and solace. In many ways Black Art reflects black history.

Even before slavery, African countries were full of sculptures, crafts and tribal designs and cloths. Much of these designs are still seen in Black Art today. But notwithstanding, lots of the African culture and artistic trends have been altered or lost amongst the Africans and African Diaspora, which started when the African slaves were torn from their tribes and countries of origin (done intentionally so slaves couldn’t conjointly start an uprising); as well from the assimilation of European culture and traditions, and covert psychological conditioning, systemic racism and oppressing of Black people to lose their self-pride and identity. These factors have all contributed to changing trends in Black Art.

Even so, talent is inherited. It is congenital and many Africans are talented. So, when the circumstances and environment are aligned, the natural talent has no boundaries and its artist flare comes to life! Black artists have had a tough time breaking into mainstream culture when it comes to visual art like many other industries and the ‘black challenges’ faced.

Post-slavery, Black Art became a celebration. It was used to express the feelings of freedom and liberation that many Blacks had felt for the very first time. There was a new access to education and resources so children and adults were able to explore new things, like drawing and having access to painting supplies etc. The Harlem Renaissance was also a celebration for Black Art, it included writers, musicians as well as visual artists. The artists had the freedom to paint black families and people with black faces! The artist themselves no longer had to hide their talents or pretend to pass as a fair skinned person (a mulatto) to get work. They were finally able to make an honest living from their art and become financially successful.

The prejudice and racial tensions towards Blacks have always remained prevalent in the USA and Europe. With many Black Artist continuing to experience being rejected by mainstream outlets. The systemic racism is a real thing, although many have tried to denounce it. Many Black artists have faced many challenges but have found ways to break though. There has been great success against all odds.

One of the first African American artists to receive recognition in America was Joshua Johnston. Known for his portraits, Johnston was born from a slave mother, an aristocrat father and given his freedom by the age of 21. Like many other Black artists who emerged at a time when Blacks were not allowed to be educated, Johnston was a self-taught painter. Most of his work focused on children of the aristocratic families of the day and some Black subjects, one of which was Daniel Coker, a founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (ref1). Joshua Johnston was the first to received national recognition but the 19th century saw several African American artists emerge like Robert S. Duncanson, Edward Mitchell Bannister, and Henry Ossawa Turner were all notable artists of the period. Though as early as the 19th century we see the first Black artists receiving national and sometimes international praise for their work, it is not until later that we see black artists emerge into mainstream culture.

50 Influential Black Artist

1. Aaron Douglass, Painter
2. Alfred Conteh, Sculptor
3. Allan Rohan Crite, Painter
4. Augusta Savage, Sculptor
5. Beverly Buchanan, Sculptor
6. Boscoe Holder, Painter
7. Charles Alston, Sculptor, Painter
8. Charles, Searles, Painter
9. Claude Clark, Painter
10. Deborah Willis, Photographer
11. Edmonia Lewis, Sculptor
12. Eldzier Cotor, Painter
13. Ellis Wilson, Painter
14. Emilio Cruz, Painter
15. Emma Amos, Painter
16. Erin K. Robinson, Illustrator
17. Eugene Warboug, Scilptor
18. Faith Ringgold, Painter, Sculptor
19. Fred Wilson, Painter
20. Fredrick Brown, Painter
21. Gwendolyn Knight, Sculptor
22. Herbert Gentry, Painter
23. Jacob Lawrence, Painter
24. James Van Der Zee, Photographer
25. Jean-Michael Basquiat, Painter
26. John Rhoden, Sculptor
27. John T. Scott, Sculptor
28. Joseph Delaney
29. Joshua Johnston, Painter
30. Kara Walker, painter, installation artist
31. Kehinde Wiley, Painter
32. Kenneth Victor Young, Painter
33. Kerry James Marshall, Painter
34. Laurie Cooper
35. Leslie Garland Bolling, Sculptor
36. Lois Mailou Jones, Painter
37. Malvin Gray Johnson, Painter
38. Mark Bradford, Painter
39. Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller
40. Oliver Lagrone, Sculptor
41. Palmer Hayden, Painter
42. Renee Cox
43. Richmond, Barthe, Sculptor
44. Robert Duncanson Jr., Painter
45. Romare Bearden
46. Sam Gilliam, Painter
47. Samuel Felrath Hines Jr., Painter
48. Theresa Bernstein, Painter
49. Tina Allen, Sculptor
50. William H. Johnson, Painter

Source:  Red October Firm

The rise in collecting and investing in emerging Black artists has recently led to more diversification in mainstream art. The gender and race dialogues are slowly been shifting and thus redirecting the focus on talent versus racial or other prejudices. As the appreciation and exposure of female artists have risen in recent years, the same can be said for Black artists as societies Westernised views catches up with cultural development. Visual art has surpassed the traditional forms such as paintings and sculptures to the new age digital art forms, digital graphics and NFT’s (Non-Fungible Tokens). The cultural has shifted and people care less about what an artist looks like or where they come from and more about how uniquely their artistic flare is presented.

Some of today’s emerging artists:

◼︎ Alex Gardner – an Afro-Japanese artist making glossy artworks depicting faceless human figures rendered in deep black. Alex’s primary source of inspiration is real-life based. It all comes from everyday conversations, situations, and routines. 

◼︎ Sir Idris – a self-taught experimental artist from New York. His art stands out as his practice goes beyond the traditional medium. Sir Idris often uses discarded items from the streets of New York and reuses them to give them a new purpose and meaning. His work is both the catalyst and mediator.

◼︎ Gherdai Hassell – growing on a global scale. Born in Bermuda, Gherdai studied in North Carolina at Greensboro and is currently an MFA candidate at the China Academy of Art in China. Hassell’s work celebrates black female figures in the form of mixed media collage-like works.

◼︎ Tajh Rust – New York-born now in Connecticut. Referred to as a figurative and abstract painter who takes inspiration from the environment that people occupy. Everyday dull objects and spaces that people move around are captured in Rust’s work in a manner that explores their relationship towards the objects and spaces. Using detailed realistic rendering and saturated colors, the artist produces images that tell a story or a memory.

◼︎ Greg Breda – a self-taught artist. He lives and works in LA and works mainly with acrylic on canvas and mylar and paper, creating deeply emotional works highlighting the human soul and spirit. Breda sources from media as well as from his memory and imagination to create images that challenge the viewer and his circumstances. His thick brushstrokes technique forms faces and figures and the play with light and shadow contributes to the serenity of the picture.

In a sea of mainstream arts institutions, waves of change are happening. Long overdue gestures towards diversity will not remedy centuries of oppression but the recognition and respect are welcomed by Black Artist. The narrative for Black Art is being re-written and art institutions around the world are opening their doors to more diversity and that includes Black Artist.

In the UK a handful of Black-owned/managed art spaces have led the long campaign towards visibility and equality for black art and the black community.

Here is a list of Black-owned galleries and institutions in the UK to support.

Addis Fine Art – less than five years old, Addis has already been named as one of the “Most Important Young Galleries in the World” by Artsy. Founders Rakeb Sile and Mesai Haileleul launched their first arts space in Addis Ababa, establishing their London gallery just six months later. Today, the UK outpost represents the best modern and contemporary art from the Horn of Africa, bolstering Ethiopia’s reputation on the international art stage. Addis was set to move into a first-of-its-kind flexible exhibition space in Kensington this spring, but plans were halted by Covid-19. Instead, the team has embraced the world of VR – including an exhibition of Black American artist Tsedaye Makonnen for Untitled, Art’s first-ever virtual fair experience.

Autograph -The Association of Black Photographers was founded in the Bon Marché Centre in Brixton. Thirty years on, Autograph resides in the heart of Shoreditch, at Rivington Place, a five-storey beacon to arts and learning designed by Sir David Adjaye. Under the directorship of Dr Mark Sealy MBE, its original mission remains: championing the work of photography and film engaged in issues of “identity, representation, human rights and social justice”.

198 Contemporary Arts & Learning – At the 2017 Venice Biennale, half the artists at the Diaspora Pavilion had previously celebrated their first solo show with 198. Extending its influence even further, last year 198 launched the Womxn of Colour Art Award, bestowing London-based artist Maybelle Peters with the inaugural prize for her work around labour, leisure and the Black body. Now, exciting plans are afoot for an ambitious redevelopment of the Railton Road site – including three storeys of exhibition space as well as rooms for creative workshops and a teaching hub.

INIVA, Institute Of International Visual Arts – Founded in 1994 under the leadership of Professor Stuart Hall, INIVA quickly earned a reputation for ground-breaking exhibitions by Black and Asian artists, striving to shift Britain’s western-centric view of the visual arts. Today, from its creative hub at Stuart Hall Library, INIVA’s refreshing programme continues to fuel the debate around the politics of race, class and gender – extending Hall’s original mission for an “entirely re-imagined Britain – reinvented for all who refuse to become ‘other’ in order to belong”.

Tafeta – founded by Ayo Adeyinka reinventing a former art consultancy as a gallery in 2013. Its forward-thinking approach saw it become one of five exhibitors awarded space within The European Fine Art Fair Maastricht’s prestigious 2020 Showcase section – the first-ever space at the fair specialising in contemporary African art. Continuing to evolve, Tafeta recently launched a radical “try-before-you-buy” initiative. Tilted Six for Six, the scheme allows prospective collectors to trial three artworks at home for six weeks without any obligation to buy. We rather like the look of Niyi Olagunju’s “Cookie Jar #19” in seductive hand-blown sapphire glass and gold leaf…

Guest Projects – Created by artist Yinka Shonibare CBE, an experimental East London space providing an “alternative universe and playground for artists”. It offers free one-month residencies for artists of all disciplines, including dancers and musicians – with residents curating their own imaginative programme of displays, workshops and talks. The art of dining is not forgotten here, either. Their supper club, The Artist Dining Room, sees guest chefs create dinners in the style of a single artist, with corresponding discussions and performances.

Books:

1. I Too Sing America: The Harlem Renaissance at 100 by Wil Haygood

“I Too Sing America” highlights multiple facets of the Harlem Renaissance, the artistic explosion centered in Harlem, New York, in the 1920s. If you want to learn about literature, art, music, and the social history of the era, this is definitely for you.

2. Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic by Connie H. Choi

“Kehindle Wiley: A New Republic” showcases the catalogue of Kehinde Wiley’s bold and powerful paintings, exploring the representation of Black people in art and challenging the status quo of classical painting. Wiley is celebrated for his unique portraiture, which often features baroque influence, and his reworking of art history, proving him one of the most prominent Black artists of the 21st century. With each turn of the page, you will be captivated by the depth and journey of his art.

3. Brown Bohemians: Honoring the Light and Magic of Our Creative Community by Morgan Ashley and Vanessa Coore Vernon

Honoring creative people of color, “Brown Bohemians” showcases creatives across different mediums and studies, using the essence of storytelling to share the unique contributions of in fashion, lifestyle, and art. The minimal design and bold photography can nicely fit in any room in your home.

4. Unseen: Unpublished Black History from the New York Times Photo Archives by by Dana Canedy, Damien Cave, Darcy Eveleigh and Rachel L. Swarns

“Unseen” showcases unpublished photographs from the New York Times’ vault, and focuses specifically on never-before-seen images of the Black community by Times photographers. This book not only gives you a deep dive into scenes of the black experience, but also explores the stories behind them. The images include critical moments of Black history, showcasing joy, sorrow, and triumph.

5. Kwame Brathwaite: Black Is Beautiful by Kwame Brathwaite

“Black is Beautiful” explores dynamic imagery of the Black community as captured by Kwame Brathwaite. His dynamic eye shows a lens that amplifies both the strength and softness of the subject. The book is filled with both black-and-white and color photography that shows Black people across the world, living and expressing themselves freely.

6. Howardena Pindell: What Remains To Be Seen by Naomi Beckwith and Valerie Cassel Oliver

Each page of this book explores the depth and deliberate approach of painter and artist Howardena Pindell across different mediums of art. Exploring her extraordinary career, this book captures a range of works by Pindell, ranging from canvas, photography, film and performance art.

7. Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power, edited by Mark Godfrey and Zoé Whitley

“Soul of a Nation” explores the art and expression of the Black experience that was created between 1963 and 1983. A time of political and social unrest, as well as radical world-building by visionary activists and community leaders, this book highlights previously ignored stories and experiences of 20th century Black artists.

8. African American Women (Double Exposure) by the National Museum of African American History and Culture

Volume 3 of “Double Exposure” highlights breath-taking imagery of Black women from all ages and backgrounds. A curation from the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s renowned collection, this book explores the serenity, beauty, strength, struggle, and sacrifice of Black women through rich photographs.

9. Revelations: Art from the African American South, edited by Timothy Anglin Burgard

“Revelations” explores the catalogue of self-taught Black artists born in the Jim Crow South. The unique interpretations and lenses preserve these artists artists’ hope and drive toward freedom in a time poisoned by rampant discrimination and social inequality. The beautiful and fearless use of color and texture is both moving and inspiring.

10. The New Black Vanguard: Photography Between Art and Fashion by Antwaun Sargent

“The New Black Vanguard” features powerful images of Black runway and cover models in the fashion industry, and explores Black imagery across media. This book is a deep dive into the intersection of art, fashion, and culture, and begins a necessary dialogue about Black representation across these spaces.

1. https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/5-emerging-black-artists-collect-now
2. https://mymodernmet.com/african-american-artists/
3. https://www.redoctoberfirm.com/black-art/
4. https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/black-owned-galleries-london
5. https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/black-art-coffee-table-books-36818893

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