ARTIST STATEMENT
I aim to show how western culture tends to negate and undermine the place of black figures. I want to explore this displacement by bringing visibility to these figures and acknowledging the presence these usurped figures had in western backdrops. I often superimpose a higher presence in a corrective manner. The intersectionality between the often overlapping trauma of blackness, womanhood, and (the disadvantaged) class becomes readily apparent in my work. This plane of intersectionality is conceived from hegemonic powers that narrate our invisibility or roles as Jezebels, Mammies, Sapphires, or deviants. To combat this I aim to depict black beauty and excellence. My pieces break free from this imposed identity and explore new ranges. It’s important to see the black protagonist, the black leader, the black achiever, while still consciously alluding to and rectifying the imposed otherness of black figures. My paintings create this fantastical fruitfulness that gratifies my inner child but also often acknowledges the “making do” of the past and the often unconventional charm these memories have. Although these adversities were present there is a nostalgic lens I look back on my childhood memories with that points towards resilience. The intersection between the past, present, and reimagined spaces all pull together to varying degrees in my work.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
My name is Amuri Morris and I’m an artist based in Richmond, Va. I recently graduated from painting/ printmaking and business at Virginia Commonwealth University. Throughout the years I have acquired several artistic accolades such as a VMFA Fellowship. I have participated in over two dozen group shows and do personal commissions regularly. I aim to promote diversity in art canon, specifically focusing on the experiences of black women.
© Amuri Morris