17 BLACK ARTISTS TO KNOW MARK BRADFORD NICK CAVE Bradford constructs massive works with Cave is a joyful artist who works with everyday materials and multiple layers sound, music, sculpture, and more. and then digs down to find incredible LEARN MORE: https://publicdelivery.org/nick- abstractions. cave-soundsuits/ LEARN MORE: https://www.newyorker.com/ magazine/2015/06/22/what-else-can-art-do MICKALENE THOMAS RASHID JOHNSON Thomas creates huge portraits with acrylic, Johnson works with 2D and 3D materials, enamel, and her signature rhinestones, installations, and videos dealing usually with an eye toward art history. with racial and cultural identity and LEARN MORE: https://www.townandcountrymag. contemporary issues. com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a29762435/mickalene- LEARN MORE: https://art21.org/artist/rashid- thomas-artist-interview/ johnson/ JULIE MEHRETU SAM GILLIAM Mehretu creates layered, expressive, Gilliam pushes the envelope with and beautiful large-scale paintings of painting and fibers, creating gorgeous abstracted landscapes. tapestries that blur the line between 2D LEARN MORE: https://art21.org/artist/julie- and 3D work. mehretu/ LEARN MORE: https://americanart.si.edu/artist/ sam-gilliam-1811 BETYE SAAR KARA WALKER Saar utilizes assemblage, printmaking, and a Walker creates room-size black paper lot of storytelling in her work that highlights silhouettes that explore issues of race, politics and directly fights racism. identity, violence, sexuality, and gender. LEARN MORE: https://www.youtube.com/ LEARN MORE: https://walkerart.org/collections/ watch?v=T7CFz9xzhIM artists/kara-walker Copyright © The Art of Education University, LLC theartofeducation.edu CARRIE MAE WEEMS KEHINDE WILEY Weems is one of the most incredible Wiley designs beautiful, hyperrealistic photographers in art history. portraits that celebrate black identity LEARN MORE: http://carriemaeweems.net/bio.html and culture while critiquing art history. LEARN MORE: https://kehindewiley.com/ MARTIN PURYEAR TATYANA Puryear is a sculptor who works within the FAZLALIZADEH traditions of craft but challenges materials to Fazlalizadeh produces thought-provoking create unique, evocative sculptures. street art and portraits, including her LEARN MORE: https://art21.org/artist/martin-puryear/ campaign Stop Telling Women to Smile. LEARN MORE: http://tlynnfaz.com/ MAYA FREELON FAITH RINGGOLD Freelon uses tissue paper, texture, and color Ringgold paints, writes, sculpts, incorporates to compose wonderfully vibrant works. mixed media and creates iconic quilts, LEARN MORE: https://www.mayafreelon.com/ including Tar Beach. LEARN MORE: https://www.faithringgold.com/ GLENN LIGON AMY SHERALD Ligon is a conceptual artist who deals with Sherald breaks tradition with her unique race and sexuality, bringing in elements of style of portraiture. language, literature, and history. LEARN MORE: https://www.newyorker.com/ LEARN MORE: http://www.glennligonstudio.com/ magazine/2019/09/23/the-amy-sherald-effect KERRY JAMES MARSHALL Marshall creates paintings that capture the black experience from the civil rights movement up to contemporary culture. LEARN MORE: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/17/t-magazine/kerry-james- marshall-artist.html Copyright © The Art of Education University, LLC theartofeducation.edu.