Nari Ward vividly remembers when he became an artist. Ward drew a replica and the other kids came over, intrigued, and said, “The new guy is an artist.” Ward claimed that title. The Los Angeles-based artist Cosmo Whyte experienced a similar trajectory. “I remember being in the art room after school and just loving how art became a sanctuary for me,” Whyte said. Both Ward and Whyte — born in 1963 and 1982, respectively — create sculptures and installations that pay homage to their Caribbean roots and confront the extensive legacy of resistance against racial injustices, police brutality and colonialism.

Source: New York Times September 10, 2023 03:27 UTC