In Praise of Women of Colour Artists
Illustration by Reyna Noriega
I stan a woke and talented queen
The rise to prominence of women of colour artists has been a refreshing shift within the art world, especially the art market. Woc artists are THRIVING and I’m so here for it.
In recent years we have seen a surge in the commercial success of women artists, specifically women of colour (we really do be out here). From auction records to art fair solo booths to big blockbuster retrospectives, the art market is making room for new artists and art forms. Woc artists are telling their stories and people are listening.
Of course, this has not always been the case. The most pertinent example being the absence of women of colour from art history, which for centuries chose not to make room for the many distinct voices and abundant visual aesthetics of the women artists it now boasts. A luxury that was once only afforded to western male artists.
Although the merit of these women shouldn’t rest solely on their ability to achieve mainstream success, we can’t ignore the fact that representation and recognition matter. Whilst there is still a lot of work to do, as women artists represent only 2% of the art market, it is necessary to celebrate the great strides that have been made by the woc artists of today:
Faith Ringgold’s brilliant exhibition at the Serpentine, Kara Walker’s commission at the Tate Modern, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye at the Tate Britain, Toyin Ojih Odutola’s Barbican commission, Christine Sun Kim and her relationship with sound, Jordan Casteel and her exploration of colour through figurative painting, Maia Ruth Lee’s work with found objects, Sonia Boyce will be the first black woman to represent Britain at the Venice Biennale, the performance art of Reetu Sattar as she explores the loss of tradition in Harano Sur (Lost Tune), Rita Keegan’s archive at the South London Gallery, and Wu Tsang’s methods of bringing people together through the medium of moving image, under a self titled genre of magic realism.
me watching woc artists succeed
The art created by these women is layered and nuanced, they adopt a combination of styles that when juxtaposed, form a rich and messy visual tapestry. Their composition, methodology and influences couldn’t be more different, yet their work is harmonious with one another, bound only by a collective sense of womanhood.
I guess you could say that womanhood transcends the more visible characteristics that separate us. After all, as individuals we construct an idea of womanhood that is unique to each of us, we seek solace in this form of power that we have over ourselves.
For women of colour there is a sense of shared experience, of the way we navigate the world. That is not to say that our experiences are identical, but rather that they are kindred.
It is important that these women continue to make art and for that art to be acknowledged, we touched on this in the female gaze but here I am writing about it again because these topics are intersectional!!
eternal mood
We have explored the male gaze and how the nude form is often used by men to portray women as they would like them to be seen and experienced. There’s a sense of detachment when viewing yourself through someone else’s lens, almost like wearing clothes that don’t fit.
This becomes even more complex when you factor in race. Whilst the absence of women from the canon of art history is deplorable, the absence of women of colour is all the more harrowing.
Hence the importance of women of colour artists. It is evident from their art that these women are in control of their narrative, they are able to craft their own image and a palpable sense of autonomy is present in their works.
The nexus between art and politics is something that is often discussed at length, both within academic and commercial spaces. A woman of colour creating art is often still classed as radical. All woc art is political, whether it chooses to be or not.
Hopefully one day the art created by those mentioned above will be seen not as art by women of colour, nor even by women, but just as great art.
So here’s to the pioneering artists, to those that provide a platform for them, to the work that they have created, to the stories that they will continue to share, here’s to taking up space and honestly to being so talented omg I can’t draw for shit so this one hit different, thank you <3