Emerging Artists at the Art & History Museums of Maitland Explore Identity and Freedom

At the Art & History Museums of Maitland, the exhibition, The View from Within, offers exclusive insights into the lives and unique perspectives of emerging artists Nneka Jones and Shannon Elyse Curry. Through their collection, both artists share that art can hold more meaning than what established standards and norms typically represent.

The Trinidadian–born multidisciplinary artist, Jones produces artwork that comments on social and environmental injustice. Her embroidery focuses on portraits of women of color and has been featured in publications such as TIME magazine and Forbes. Jones appears to be significantly more individualistic, as demonstrated in her work, Point of Intersection. The subject is a woman whose uniqueness is highlighted by the multiple colors displayed across her face. Her attire which is shown in deep blue contrasts with the background of her portrait, which is bright red. This is showing Jones’s ability to adapt her subjects to a particular scenario to really highlight their sense of self. Jones’s artistic style is concentrated on showing the beauty of women of color and their ability to blend in with any particular scene or scenario, which is taking place around them.

Curry, also a multidisciplinary artist, seeks to challenge the traditional stereotypes around the capitalist notions of art through her work. Centering around the theme and concept of freedom, Curry’s work supports her belief that creation is a passion rather than something one is forced to do. “As the universal language, art connects all of humanity. It is beyond race, gender, socio-economics and politics. It is all at once dynamic and static,” she stated. In her piece Wonder, Curry displays a sense of universalism within its tone. It shows a very green scene with butterflies and vegetation with the eye of a human overlooking the scenery. Her nomadic nature is clearly shown as the subject and tone of the artwork does not prescribe to any particular individual or group of people or things, but rather shows the simple and bountiful environment that nature represents.

The exhibition is a unique partnership between A&H and The Links, Incorporated; an organization that focuses on the representation of women of African descent. The View from Within is on view from April 27 to July 14.