The Power Of Centering Blackness In Iconic Art

Brittany King
Feb 24, 2017 · 8 min read
RIGHT: “Umoja,” artist JoMerra Watson’s take on Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” was painted after the murder of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling in the same week. RIGHT: “Just Mona” is Watson’s twist on “Mona Lisa.”

JoMerra Watson wanted to see paintings that centered black people. So using classic paintings as inspiration, she created her own.

AA fact about art galleries: They’re very white. Not just the walls, or the parts of canvas untouched by paint. They’re filled with white people, white sculptures, white…

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Brittany King

Written by

Brittany King

Writer. Activist. Magical black girl.

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