Deborah Roberts: What about us? Stephen Friedman Gallery, New York
contemporary art
The Stephen Friedman Gallery unveiled the inauguration of its latest venue in Tribeca, New York, showcasing 'What about us?,' a solo exhibit by Deborah Roberts, an artist based in Austin. This event marked Roberts' third showcase with the gallery and her first in New York in over half a decade. Her renowned work captured vibrant depictions of Black children and adolescents set against either white or black backgrounds.
The dynamic figures, caught in mid-movement, engage with the viewer, exploring the intricacies of Black subjecthood concerning race, identity, politics, and society through a fusion of collage and painting. Showcasing some of Roberts' largest pieces to date, the exhibition delves into the impact of systemic racism on the upbringing of Black children.
Utilizing collage—a revolutionary medium with a century-long history—Roberts reframes cultural inequities and prejudices, constructing alternative, more inclusive narratives. By blending found materials from the internet, literature, and photographs with hand-painted details, she dismantles stereotypes propagated by mainstream visual culture, offering a comprehensive, multidimensional perspective on Blackness that spans skin tones, facial features, hairstyles, and clothing.
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A stark contrast between the public image of tradition and civic pride, and the reality of a city grappling with profound economic and social inequality.