Latest news with #BlackArtists
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
‘Science is a human endeavor': astrophysicist uses art to connect Black and brown kids to the Stem fields
When practicing funeral ceremonies during the antebellum period, enslaved west Africans mimicked the sun's rotation as they danced counterclockwise in hidden clearings. They would sing and shuffle their feet to the beat of the drums in a ring shout, a ritual to honor the deceased that originated in Africa and which is still practiced by the descendants of enslaved people in the south-east US today. For the bereaved who grieved the recent death of a loved one, their practice orbited around the setting sun. So begins a chapter about our closest star in Painting the Cosmos, a recent book by UC Santa Cruz astrophysicist Dr Nia Imara. The book blends science and art in an ode to the diversity of the cosmos. While touching on astronomical tidbits, such as the fact that scientists measure the rate of the sun's spin by tracking the sunspots on its surface, Imara demonstrates the influence of astronomy on life and culture throughout history. She compares the sun's rhythmic cycle to the repetition found in the Black artist Alma Thomas's abstract paintings of space, and the patterns in the west African Bwa people's multicolored wooden masks depicting the sun and nature. As a painter and one of the only Black female astronomy professors in the US, Imara focuses on the contributions of Black and brown artists and scientists throughout her book. For Imara, it's important that young Black and brown people also see people in the sciences who look like them. That's why she created the non-profit Onaketa in 2020 to offer free science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) online tutoring for Black and brown youth throughout the nation, who are mentored by scientists of color. 'Oftentimes when we're taught science and math in school, the focus in our textbooks and in the classrooms is on the contributions of white folks, and it's really important to show people that science is a human endeavor,' Imara said. 'Astronomy is often considered the oldest science, and certainly people from all over the world have made really valuable contributions.' Diversity is necessary for harmony in the universe, Imara argues in her book. Our solar system consists of eight planets of varying sizes, temperatures and features. 'If you change any one of these eight planets, or you didn't have one of them for some reason, that would have serious implications for the development of life on Earth,' Imara said. Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, has a large gravitational influence that deflects meteors that would otherwise hit the Earth's surface; and if Saturn were any smaller that it currently is, the Earth's orbit around the sun would change and might no longer hold liquid water. 'One of the things that science has taught me is that there are so many metaphors like this in nature,' Imara said. 'And if we take them to heart and apply them to ourselves here, I think that would really go a long way in how we treat each other, and how our society works.' Imara became interested in astronomy at a young age as she pondered existential questions about human life: 'What is the meaning of all this, and where do we fit into the universe?' As a sophomore in high school, she took a physics class that answered some of her fundamental questions. 'My relationship to science now has evolved so that I don't think any more that science can answer all of these big, deep questions, which are often very religious, very philosophical and even moral in nature,' Imara said. 'But I appreciate science and nature even more for the metaphors that it has to offer and also because of its ability to connect to people.' More than two decades ago, Imara began practicing visual art as a way to exercise another side of her brain and heart. Art, she said, has helped address some of her queries about human connectedness that science failed to answer. In her book, she writes that art and science haven't always been viewed as diametrically opposed. The Great Pyramid of Giza, in Egypt, which was built as a tomb for Pharaoh Khufu 4,500 years ago, merged science and art as the tallest building in the world until the 1800s. The monument displays precise geometry, and its shape nods to Benben, which was the first mound of land to be created according to ancient Egyptian religion. For Imara, the Great Pyramid is 'emblematic of how this incredible society brought together so many fields that we often treat as disparate. And it still blows my mind to think about the precision with which this monument was designed, conceived and constructed with all of the alignments with the cardinal directions, and the really precise alignment of air shafts within the pyramid to certain constellations and stars that were important to the Egyptians.' In pursuit of highlighting the achievements of Black and brown scientists outside her work as an astronomer and visual artist, Imara turned to education to create opportunities for marginalized youth. So she launched her organization Onaketa to offer personalized Stem tutoring to Black and brown youth. Middle and high schoolers are partnered up with Black and brown scientists who tutor them online on a weekly basis for up to a year. Over the past five years, six tutors have mentored more than 100 students throughout the country. 'Most of our students have never encountered a Black or brown scientist as a teacher or as a professor,' Imara said. 'To have somebody who is also a mentor who can guide them and show them new possibilities for themselves is really important.' Imara sees the program as a way to 'encourage Black and brown youth who have been actively discouraged and undermined from pursuing these fields. It's a matter of putting that attention, resources and love towards people who have been actively underserved.' Chima McGruder, an Onaketa mentor since 2021 who has a background in astrophysics, said that along with tutoring students in math through the program, he also serves as a role model for students who can see themselves in him. He's built up strong connections with some of the students whom he's mentored for several semesters. 'A lot of them don't get support that they would otherwise in math, or just someone who they can look up to who is not their parents,' McGruder said. 'I find those interactions very rewarding and it actually makes me feel like I'm making a difference.' McGruder said that it's important to expose Black and brown students to Stem fields at an early age since they are largely underrepresented in that sector. While Latinos compose 17% of the workforce across all jobs, they only represent 8% of people in Stem occupations, according to a 2021 Pew Research Center analysis of employment data. And Black workers make up 11% of the workforce and 9% of Stem workers. A diversity of perspective ensures that products and medicines are applicable to different populations, since some diseases have a correlation to race, McGruder said: 'Who you are and what your background is plays into the things that you create and the standards that you make.' Toward the end of the chapter about the sun's rhythm in her book, Imara reminds readers that everything they see is a reflection of the sun's light. And just as the star's own cycle waxes and wanes, so do the moments of our lives, Imara writes in the book: 'A government bent on war and defense will see a potential enemy in everything, including phenomena caused by the innocent sun. An enslaved people see in the same sun a powerful symbol that connects them with home, with their ancestors. It offers a perpetual reminder that life occurs in cycles – rhythms – and thus, their peculiar situation is not permanent.'
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
‘Emotion and history through color': the activism of Tomashi Jackson's art
While the Black artist Tomashi Jackson was pursuing her MFA from the Yale School of Art in the 2010s, she had a revelation about how our perception of color works. While studying color theory, she had gone back to the basics, rereading foundational texts from her art education – Jackson realized that the way these books talked about color resembled how Americans talk about race. 'I was seeing a lot of similarities in the way color phenomena is described as compulsory,' she said in an interview, 'as against one's will, and potentially discomforting or panic-inducing. Concepts of color are experienced as chromatic, and they are also social.' These insights into color theory occurred within larger explorations Jackson was making at the time into what she called 'the machinery that was surrounding me' – that would include the education system, the way public space is conceived of in America, and larger historical narratives around racial justice. Jackson's particular way of synthesizing all of these ideas into striking works of art can currently be experienced at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, for the artist's mid-career survey Across the Universe. Going back to 2023, this major show has toured Denver, Philadelphia and Boston, landing now in Houston for almost an entire year. The paintings and mixed media pieces in Across the Universe tend to be built around large chunks of bright primary colors, overlaid with intricate networks of texture and soft-focus human faces. The striking works radiate energy and exuberance, bringing to mind such disparate artistic practices as urban muralism and abstract expressionism. Jackson's bold use of color has been a hard-won, lifelong process – she recalls grappling with color for as long as she can remember. 'Trying to understand how color responds to itself has been a lifelong fascination of mine,' she said. 'There's so much that translates about emotion and history through color. We who have grown up looking at paintings in our communities are all invited to consider what color means.' The striking visual choices that are present in Jackson's art intersect with her deep research into the ongoing struggle over civil rights for Black people in America. Her pieces often bear titles referencing court cases and other historic developments for Black Americans, such as the 2016 work Dajerria All Alone (Bolling v. Sharpe (District of Columbia)) (McKinney Pool Party). Titled for a court case argued by Thurgood Marshall that helped desegregate public schools in the United States, the piece is covered in ephemera from Marshall's lengthy battle to integrate schools; it also recognizes the 2018 assault of 15-year-old Dajerria Becton by a police officer during a Texas pool party, offering images related to her life. 'I felt like my responsibility was to discuss public narratives,' Jackson said. 'I was trying to find ways to make a contribution to our history, since so much has already been done.' As a part of her engagement with the historical record, Jackson frequently uses reclaimed materials, such as brown paper bags, bits and pieces from democratic elections, and even gauze – it's a practice that dates back to the years while Jackson was in art school and pursuing her bachelor's degree. 'While I was in this highly competitive art school environment, I was given this huge bolt of gauze that had been salvaged from an old Johnson & Johnson factory. I decided that I would make all my work using that.' The use of these materials dovetailed with Jackson's choice to step away from using any color at all, as she processed her feelings around pigments. As Jackson recounted, when she first attended Cooper Union in 2005, she abandoned all use of color, instead first grappling with the material reality of objects as they were. 'I didn't feel like I had an instinctually responsive relationship that made me feel like I understood what I was doing with color,' she said. 'So for a number of years I didn't allow myself to use any color. I started to try to figure out how to work with materials as I found them and not impose anything through adding color.' These inquiries eventually brought Jackson to consider the relationship between cultural memories and the everyday disposable items that will remain in the earth for hundreds of thousands of years. 'When I left Cooper Union and came up to Massachusetts, I focused on what I had learned about collective memory and waste management,' she said. 'What is the nature of collective memory that's been passed on for millennia? What relationship does that have with plastics and Styrofoams that are presented for public use as disposable, but that ultimately outlive us all?' One of the pieces that distinguishes this iteration of Across the Universe from previous versions is the inclusion of the major work Minute by Minute. A reference to The Doobie Brothers' 1978 album of the same name, the mixed media piece includes family photographic prints, a hand-crafted walnut awning, and pieces of marble. It is in part a tribute to Jackson's late mother, Aver Marie Burroughs, who used to listen to the album with the artist. Jackson's mother gave the artist her compact disc of the album when Jackson moved from Los Angeles to the Bay Area to pursue artistic studies, and it's now one of the few concrete items that Jackson has in memory of her mother. The show also features video of Jackson's drag king alter ego, Tommy Tonight, whom she has previously embodied in order to perform the Doobie Brothers' Minute by Minute in a tribute to her mother. 'I now understand that he emerged out of grief for my mother's illness and eventual passing,' she said. 'Our last iteration of the show allowed me to learn more about the history of drag performance as art historically born of grief – a celebration of grief. So that character has a whole video room unto himself.' For Jackson, Across the Universe is a homecoming of sorts – although she spent the majority of her childhood in southern California, she was born in Houston and traces her family history through the migration story from Texas to the west coast. Having a mid-career full-circle moment is both the culmination of one story and the start of another one. 'I was conceived in 3rd Ward of Houston and born there, and I was later taken to southern California and raised there with my maternal family. It feels like a miracle that Contemporary Arts Museum Houston has agreed to host this show. It's literally been a lifelong dream.' Tomashi Jackson: Across the Universe is on show at the Contemporary Arts Museum in Houston from 30 May to 29 March 2026
Associated Press
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Portraits with Purpose: Ligel Lambert's Kickstarter Honors Inspirational Artists & Professors
Portraits with Purpose: Artist & Adjunct Professor Ligel Lambert's Kickstarter Honors Inspirational Artists & Professors, Celebrating Their Impact 'By honoring the legacies of Black male visual artists and art professors, we inspire future generations to see themselves in greatness and pursue their creative and academic pursuits in higher ed.'— Ligel Lambert NEW YORK CITY, NY, UNITED STATES, May 10, 2025 / / -- Visual artist, adjunct professor, and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Ligel Lambert has launched his latest Kickstarter campaign, Painting Inspirational Visual Artists and Educators. This ambitious portrait series aims to honor influential figures in the visual arts and art education, inspiring future generations of creatives and leaders. Ligel, celebrated for his Fauvist-inspired paintings, draws from his extensive experiences and observations of influential artists like Jacob Lawrence, Kerry James Marshall, William T. Williams, Richard Mayhew, and Charles White, among others. His work explores powerful themes of the interpretations of sound, identity, belonging, and justice. In this new series, Lambert aims to highlight the profound contributions of visual artists and professors who have left an indelible mark on the visual art & art education communities and shaped the broader cultural landscape worldwide. 'By illuminating the legacies of Black male visual artists and art professors, we empower future generations to see themselves reflected in artistic greatness and pursue their creative and academic aspirations in higher education.' – Ligel Lambert The Kickstarter campaign, running from May 5 to June 7, 2025, has set a funding goal of $15,000. As of now, it has garnered $594 from two backers. Funds will support completing the portrait series, including materials, studio time, and exhibition costs. Also, this amount will support the final stages of producing 10 to 15 more paintings, high-resolution scanning of 20 to 25 large-scale works within the collection, and the book's design & layout. Backers can choose from rewards including recognition on Ligel's official website, T-shirts, original oil portrait paintings, and a beautifully designed commemorative book. The book, " Paintings of Inspirational Artists & Professors: The Black Male Artist Professor Series,' will feature each painting and a page for each artist. Lambert's initiative builds upon his previous work, including the Black Male Artist Professor Series, featuring portraits of figures like Kerry James Marshall, Sanford Biggers, and Jacob Lawrence. These projects underscore his commitment to celebrating underrepresented voices in the arts and education. More About the Series: This series seeks to showcase and celebrate the accomplishments of Black male visual artists who have also served as visual art or art education professors—individuals who embody the dual legacy of artistic excellence and educational leadership. Each featured subject has made significant contributions to visual art or art education and has taught, or is currently teaching, within visual art and/or art education programs at art colleges or other historically White colleges and universities in the United States. Each painting in the series is rendered in the expressive and vivid style inspired by Fauvism. It is created using acrylic or oil paint on a standard 36" x 48" canvas. While the format remains consistent, every piece incorporates symbolic elements uniquely tied to the subject's personal story, artistic philosophy, and impact. The use of varied techniques allows for a nuanced portrayal of each individual, honoring their distinct voice and contributions. The series will consist of 20 to 25 paintings, with the potential to expand, offering a powerful visual archive that uplifts often-overlooked narratives and affirms the enduring influence of Black male artists and educators in shaping the cultural and academic landscape of the United States. To support Painting Inspirational Visual Artists and Educators, visit the Kickstarter campaign page: About Ligel Lambert Mr. Ligel Lambert is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and entrepreneur who owns The Art of Ligel, LLC. He works as an adjunct professor at the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (RMCAD) and as an adjunct lecturer at Hunter College, City University of New York. Born in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, Ligel became a U.S. citizen on October 16, 2003, while serving in the United States Marine Corps. He now resides in New York City. He holds a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Interdisciplinary Art/Painting from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University) in Melbourne, Australia (2013), a Master of Education ( in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of West Florida (2021), and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Graphic Design (2011). Ligel is a doctoral candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University. His dissertation focuses on leadership in art colleges and other historically White higher education institutions. It explores how leadership practices empower or inhibit Black men within their visual arts and/or art education programs. Ligel Lambert The Art of Ligel LLC +1 347-543-5346 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Other Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Axios
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Things to do in the Boston area this week: 2/24-3/2
Monday, 2/24 Bow Market hosts a crochet workshop for beginners in the market's suite, 7-9pm. Price: $50, includes yarn and crochet hooks. Tuesday, 2/25 The Boston Public Library's Special Collections in Copley Square will highlight items from revolutionary Black Artists, 2-4pm. Bestselling author Tia Williams discusses her modern fairytale "A Love Song for Ricki Wilde" with content creator Azanta at Lovestruck Books, 7-9pm. Price: $30, includes signed book. Wednesday, 2/26 The Fenway Community Center screens"Six Triple Eight," 6-8pm. Thursday, 2/27 Finnish folk metal bands Korpiklaani and Ensiferum stop at Brighton Music Hall as part of their "Folkfest of the North" tour. The tour features Taiwanese folk metal artist NiNi Music. The Liberty Hotel hosts Nigel Barker of "America's Next Top Model" for a night of fashion, cocktails and celebrity spottings, 7:30pm. Friday, 2/28 The Baltic Film Festival returns with films from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, 4:30pm. It runs until Sunday night. Price: $15 per film; $5 for Emerson students. The Alamo Drafthouse is showing our favorite ogre with layers like onions, "Shrek," 9:30pm. Saturday, 3/1 Try puppy yoga at Park-9 Dog Bar in Everett, 9:45am-12pm. Price: $56. Some of the proceeds go to Sweet Paws Rescue. Bring your own mat. Sunday, 3/2 Trident Booksellers & Cafe hosts an Oscars watch party in its upstairs cafe, 7pm. Night Shift Brewing in Everett hosts metal yoga. Price: $30, includes a beer or non-alcoholic drink. Bring your own mat.
