Art means different things to different people. For some it’s entertainment, while for others it’s an investment. Many artists use their medium as a way to not only express themselves, but to also keep record of what’s going on at any moment in history. Many artists truly are historians. Take a look through history and you will see that artists – musicians, writers, sculptors, painters, weavers, etc. – have always used their craft to record history. And this is why Black art and artists are so critically important. They’re vital to keeping record of our experiences and our truths, especially in times of chaos, like 2020. Here are a few reasons why Black Art Matters:
You Don’t Control What You Don’t Create (Allows Us to Control Our Narrative)
Let’s keep it 100 – there are many people and institutions that like to delete, water down and re-write history. Black artists are truly the only artists that can accurately and truthfully capture and record our Black experiences – the joy and the pain, the highs and the lows, the good and the bad. We need Black artists to create Black art in order for us to control the narratives of our experiences. Black artists are needed to control how our image and likeness shows up in the mainstream. Without Black artists, our narratives would be created and controlled by those outside of our community.
Accurate Historical Record
If you’ve ever studied art, you know that many artists record what’s going on at the time. For example, Andy Warhol painted the soup cans to capture the introduction of mass produced food into American society. Black artists are the historians that accurately record the Black experience, both in America and abroad. Only we can accurately understand, record and recount our history.
No One Sees Us Like We See Us. No One Gets Us Like We Get Us.
No one sees us like we see us. No one understands and captures our experiences, our differences, our culture and our beauty like we do. Also, No one treats us with the same level of love, care, respect, and understanding as we do. Black art matters. Black artists matter. We need them. They are the vital historians and gatekeepers of our collective experiences. They need and deserve our support and respect. While I couldn’t even begin to put together a comprehensive list of all the dope Black artists out there creating amazing art, here are a few of my favorites:
Support: Black Art Futures Fund, Irwin House Gallery, Norwestgallery, Support Black Art,
Go follow them on social media and purchase some art.