Juarez Hawkins

N’nyala
oil paint, plaster gauze, spackle, wire mesh
18 x 10 x 7 in.

N’nyala is a tribute to my mother, artist Florence Hawkins (N’nyala). The split face speaks of her love of Egyptian culture, as does the cartouche spelling out her adopted name. I show her at different stages in her life: as a child, as a professional artist, and with her own child (me). The hand is my own, coming full circle, creating an artistic tribute to the artist who created me.

Juarez Hawkins, a native of Chicago, is a second-generation artist. She received her B.A. from Northwestern University, and her Masters in Interdisciplinary Arts from Columbia College. Juarez has exhibited throughout the Midwest. She recently hosted solo exhibitions at the University of Illinois and the 33 Collective Galleries
Juarez has taught art at a variety of venues, including Gallery 37, Little Black Pearl Workshop, and a number of Chicago-area schools. She currently teaches at Chicago State University.
In the Tribe Series, her newest body of work, Juarez juxtaposes African masks with flesh-and-blood faces, exploring the connections between our ancient and modern-day selves.

© Juarez Hawkins