New collection: Queen’s portraits
Why Portraits?
Portraits commemorate, celebrate, and show us who we were – and who we are now.
They have been used to show the power, importance, virtue, beauty, wealth, taste, and learning of the sitter.
Unfortunately, there is a lack of representation of Black people especially women in this art form, as if Black Aristocrats never existed. But the truth is that they did! Many black Americans (meaning the whole 3 continents) who were free people of color were often entrepreneurs, educators and business owners. Yes, they did go through hardships due to racism, but despite their past, some of them made a very good living for themselves and their families. The lack of representation of people of color in portraits makes it seem as if they never existed, and more powerfully, as if we still don’t exist.
My intention with Queen’s Portrait is to show that people of color are not invisible, they do have power, they are important, they are beautiful, they are educated, they have wealth, and it should be recognized more often. It is a way to reclaim portraiture and reduce the typical stereotypes and wrong assumptions people have about us.
Queen’s Portrait is my small contribution to this, to immortalize the black woman, a respectable one, that is not only admired by her beauty but by her intelligence, her education and elegance.
Love,
Martha Nieto