Who's Representing the Black Subject?-Part Two

commentary by Jocelyn M. Goode

My fascination with the representation of black subjects is a personal one. It is now the year 2010. The presence and influence of black culture worldwide is prevalent and undisputed. Still, black people as subjects of musical lyrics, film productions, television shows, radio programming, magazine editorials and fine art is highly marginalized. And even when a black subject matter is presented, it is more common to see the negative aspects of blackness highlighted over the positive. Why is this, especially in the instances when black authors/artists are the creators of the work? Of course the answers are layered in all sorts of historical, political, psychological and economic factors but my experiment last week at the Armory Show was another attempt to extract data to further analyze the conundrum.

When talking about art and showcasing, the underlying issue is sales. Once art moves into the gallery space, it becomes an object for purchase. Preference and taste increase in importance at this point and new questions comes into play: how consumable is art that features black subjectivity? How willing are patrons to buy this type of work and which galleries support it to even present it to their audience? The answers to these most likely provide some insight as to why fine art showing blackness is such a minority.

My observations at the Armory Show confirmed what I already knew, the racial composition of the fine art market is primarily white and upperclass. As a matter of fact, I saw even less black visitors than I did black art during the five hours I spent at the show. Excluding the almost all black security staff, there were very few people of African heritage in attendance as artists, observers or patrons. Given this, I had to ask myself, well how many of these people really want to buy and hang art that shows a black subject? Probably not many. Artists like Romare Bearden and Benny Andrews with a years of critical validation are more desirable, however they emerged over 40-75 years ago, not too encouraging for the present-day black artist.

This is not to say that there are not contemporary black fine artists receiving mainstream appeal while depicting black subject matter. One of my favorite is Kehinde Wiley, who creates large portraits of black men with the highest esteem. He recently collaborated with athletic company Puma Africa and painted portraits of Africa's most celebrated football players.

Another artist is Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. I discovered her work at the Armory Show and was so impressed. Faye Fleming & Partner, the Geneva based gallery representing her, had a booth solely dedicated to her work that portrays understated yet dignified paintings of imaginary black people. She is of Nigerian heritage and works in London. Over the past nine years, the 33-year-old woman has shown in several exhibitions in places such as Cape Town, Korea, Spain and New York.

by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye

Lynette says this of her work,"although they are not real, they are imbued with a power of their own, they have a resonance--something emphatic and other-wordly...These people are neither heroes nor victims. But if they are pathetic, they don't survive; if I feel sorry for someone, I get rid of them. Cruelty is as unappealing to me as pomp and circumstance are. I don't paint victims."

Here are some examples of her work along with others who represented a black subject matter.

by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye

by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye

by Niki de Saint Phalle

by Niki de Saint Phalle

by Niki de Saint Phalle

by David Levine

by Alexander Calder

by Bernard Perlin

by Fred Wilson

by Fred Wilson

by Whitfield Lovell

by Whitfield Lovell

by Whitfield Lovell

by Peter Blake

by Dimitris Andreadis

by Hank Willis Thomas and Rashid Johnson

by Xiomara de Oliver

by Chris Ofili

by Hank Willis Thomas

Here is a list of galleries that carried some of the featured work:
Rena Bransten Gallery
77 Geary St., San Francisco, CA
94108
www.renabranstengallery.com

Nohra Haime Gallery
730 Fifth Ave, New York, NY
10019
www.nohrahaimegallery.com

Jack Shainman Gallery
513 West 20th St, New Yorkm NY
10011
www.jackshainman.com

Gallery Side 2
2-6-5 Higashiazbu, Minato-Ku
Tokyo 106-0044 Japan
www.galleryside2.net

Jenkins Johnson Gallery
521 West 26th Street, 5th fl, New York, NY
10001
www.jenkinsjohnsongallery.com

Faye Fleming & Partner
14 rue de l'Arquebuse, CH-1204
Geneva
www.fayefleming.com

Tomorrow I will show the last set of twenty and continue this conversation...