Black Gaze Matters
"Black Gaze Matters" celebrates Black artists and places their Black experience at the center of the narrative.
The very DNA of our young online gallery is to get out of a white, masculine and straight comfort zone and to celebrate underrepresented artists, such as women and artists of color.
Even though all eyes around the world are finally turning to Black Lives Matter movement and racial justice protests, Black artists are still underrepresented, including in the media coverage of the recent events. The white gaze is still dominant, even when it comes to shooting the images of Black communities. This contributes to fostering a certain form of oppression.
If everyone has to defend humanity and can take up these questions, we wanted to give a voice to those who live within the movement, those who are the closest to these communities, and let them share their Black experience freely. Some artists have documented Black resistance during the protests, while others denounce injustice and police violence, others celebrate resilience, dream of freedom, and others reveal a new definition of masculinity or femininity, far from any cliché or one-dimensional vision.
A curation of 19 Black artists from around the world, some emerging, others established and awarded, who all come to break the clichés with arresting artworks:
Angélique Culvin (Oslo, Norway), Anthony Geathers (NYC, USA), Cary Fagan (Houston, USA), Donté Maurice (Atlanta, USA), Erica Génécé (NYC, USA), Erin Douglas (Washington DC, USA), Eva Woolridge (NYC, USA), Gaël Rapon (Paris, France), Kobina Sackey (Busua, Ghana), Morgan Otagburuagu (Lagos, Nigeria), Paula Champagne (Sommerville, USA), Schaun Champion (Baltimore, USA), Shaheen Wacker (Berlin, Germany), Shamayim (Los Angeles, USA), Tara Pixley (Los Angeles, USA), Travon Free (Los Angeles, USA), Vanessa Charlot (St Louis, USA), Violeta Sofia (London, UK), Vitalise Severin (Baltimore, USA).
9 nonprofits for Black lives
In response to police violence, racial injustices and the many acts of racism that continue to plague all over the world, we have decided, together with our terrific collective of artists, to donate 35% of all sales proceeds to 9 European and American nonprofits which fight against systemic racism and improve Black livelihoods in different areas: justice, civil rights, youth, education, culture, community support, LGBTQ and mental health.
Truth for Adama committee (France / Justice)
For four years, Assa Traoré has been fighting to establish the truth for her brother Adama, who died in 2016 during a Police arrest, and more extensively to end police violence. In France, the Truth for Adama committee has become an animated force of resistance to police violence and systemic racism.
Black Girls Code (USA, South Africa / Youth, Education)
Their vision is to increase the number of women of color in the digital space by empowering girls of color ages 7 to 17 to become innovators in STEM fields, leaders in their communities, and builders of their own futures through exposure to computer science and technology. Their objective is to train one million girls by 2040.
Kids of colour (United Kingdom / Youth, Education, Culture)
This English nonprofit is a platform for young people of colour to explore race, identity and culture and challenge the everyday, institutionalised racism that shapes their lives.
ACER : African Career, Education, and Resource (USA / Community)
This nonprofit organization engages African immigrants living in the suburbs of Minneapolis and its region to advance equity and eliminate disparities. They support microbusinesses, make safe and affordable housing a priority, ensure that residents have a place at decision-making tables, and advocate for education equity.
National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network – Mental Health Fund for Queer and Trans People of Color (USA / Mental health, LGBTQ)
This fund provides financial assistance to queer and trans people of color to increase access to mental health support in the US. The program provides financial support to work with psychotherapists in an effort to address the economic barriers inherent in healthcare and the mental health system.
BEAM : Black Emotional And Mental health collective (USA / Mental health)
BEAM’s mission is to remove the barriers that Black people experience getting access to or staying connected with emotional health care and healing. They do this through education, training, advocacy and the creative arts.
The emergency release fund (USA / Justice, civil rights)
This fund is bailing out LGBTQ, medically vulnerable and BLM protestors in New-York. It is a member of the National Bail Fund Network which campaigns to permanently end money bail and pretrial detention in both the criminal legal and immigration detention systems.
Black lives matter Berlin (Germany / Civil rights)
Chapter of the international organization Black Lives Matter, co-founded by our artist Shaheen Wacker, which campaigns against systemic racism in Germany.
Black Burner Project (USA / Culture)
A project documenting people of color at burning man with a mission to create an inspiring and informative space were burners of color can be seen as part of the Burning Man community; to encourage the curious, to share personal stories, and to challenge people of color to step into the unknown spaces where they are few.
