BIG Giants
We chase the Warhols, Chagalls, and Lichtensteins, but meet the new trailblazers: Visionary artists of color who have redefined art with their unique styles and powerful stories.
Below are some of the artists you will be learning about and drawing inspiration from as you create your own masterpieces.
1935-
Esther Mahlangu
A South African artist celebrated for her vibrant, geometric Ndebele paintings and murals, which preserve and promote the traditional art forms of the Ndebele people.
1912-2006
Gordon Parks
“I saw that the camera could be a weapon against poverty, against racism, against all sorts of social wrongs. I knew at that point I had to have a camera”
A groundbreaking African-American photographer, filmmaker, and writer, known for his powerful images documenting social justice, civil rights, and the African-American experience, as well as for directing the iconic film "Shaft."
1982-
Cosmo Whyte
Cosmo Whyte is a Jamaican-born American visual artist. His is known for work in sculpture, drawing, painting, and installation art, which often address his Caribbean heritage and topics such as racism, colonialism, migration, and police brutality.
1978-
Oscar Abreu
Oscar Abreu is a Dominican artist known for his dynamic, abstract expressionist paintings that explore themes of identity, memory, and the psychological impact of migration.
1985-
Toyin Ojih Odutola
A Nigerian-American visual artist known for her intricate, textured portraits that explore identity, culture, and the human experience through a unique use of pen, ink, and charcoal.
1977-
Kehinde Wiley
Kehinde Wiley is an American artist renowned for his vibrant, large-scale portraits of African-Americans, which reimagine classical European portraiture with contemporary subjects, challenging historical narratives and celebrating black identity.
1960-1988
Jean-Michel Basquiat
A pioneering American artist of Haitian and Puerto Rican descent, known for his raw, expressive graffiti-inspired paintings that blend elements of street art, abstract expressionism, and African-American cultural history.
