Angel Heard

Post-Black
weaving, linen & cotton thread
16 x 12 in.

My recent works specifically exposes social issues through the use of the Black female gaze and connects how these issues affect the human experience in its entirely. I am exposing my journey of understanding Blackness, womanhood and Black womanhood by analyzing Black culture. What does it mean to be black? How do I understand and give awareness of the complexities of black, blackness and black culture? What is black as race, black as a color, black as morality?

Using historically loaded materials, such as hair, and colors allow me to convey complex messages with an abstracted image. My practice is heavily influenced by personal experiences, observations as well as textile, history, culture, pattern, color, and spirituality. The creative process is always a battle between the intuitive and the deliberate which allows me analyze issues through multiple perspectives.

© Angel Heard