As President Donald Trump’s actions target the cultural sphere, two New York City art fairs recently showcased artists addressing politics and identity issues.
At the Outsider Art Fair, a striking political work was a dramatic quilt by Della Wells, Anne-Marie Grgich and Sandy Jo Combes titled “Remember Sister, We Sisters are Married to Truth and Freedom, Not Married to Fear and Lies.” Standing nearly ten feet tall, the piece repurposes an American flag to symbolize societal discontent.
“The work shows an unhappy bride who is forced to marry this rooster creature,” shared Debra Brehmer, director of the Portrait Society Gallery of Contemporary Art. “It’s about the way the citizens of the U.S. are forced into a relationship with a leader we disagree with and who might even be dangerous to us.”
The quilt includes images of historical Black women such as Sojourner Truth, Recy Taylor, and Ida B. Wells.
“We know now Trump is telling schools they shouldn’t teach Black and native histories,” said Brehmer. “And we need art because we can keep things visible in the art world. So far, I don’t know if he can control it. He can certainly cut funding but we’ll find a way.”
At Claire Oliver Gallery, Sharon Kerry-Harlan’s “Detritus from a Protest March” continued the political theme. The gallery director described Kerry-Harlan as an artist “…who takes her role as a social justice advocate very seriously. Her work speaks to her own experiences as a Black woman. Sharon repurposes objects acquired from those places that have seen injustice and gives them a new uplifted role. For example, in Detritus from a Protest March, the artist repurposes content she collected during a protest march in Minneapolis seeking justice for George Floyd.”
The Cell Solace Collection displayed items made by U.S. prisoners from the 1920s to 1980s.
“I want to especially highlight the forgotten prisoners from government experiments with vaccinations on prisoners, those who were racially profiled, and beaten down or even shot by prison guards for non-violence,” said Antonio N. Inniss, the collection’s curator.
At the Affordable Art Fair, the SHEER booth focused on Black and LGBTQ+ experiences with artists Asari Aibangbee, Alanis Forde, and Nia Winslow exploring different identity facets.
“What I love about this fair is that it’s very accessible,” said Bianca Jean-Pierre, SHEER’s founder. “It’s a very friendly environment. So many can come in and meet the artists and learn about the work. It’s not this gatekeeper, pretentious experience. It’s meant to feel like it’s for everyone. It’s important to help break those barriers down.”
This sentiment encapsulates both fairs’ importance in using art to unite people around politics and identity.
The column, On the “A” w/Souleo, covers the arts, culture, entertainment, party, and philanthropy scene in Harlem and beyond and is written by Souleo.
