Famed Bill of Rights portraitist Amy Sherald will open her new exhibition, American Sublime, at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Save the date for April 9 in NYC folks! This landmark exhibition features over 40 stunning and powerful paintings. As such, they not only celebrate the beauty of Black American life, but provide further support for her essential greater relevance as one of America’s most important living artists.
Sherald gained widespread recognition for her striking portraits of former First Lady Michelle Obama and the late Breonna Taylor, whose life was tragically cut short. Her skill at portraying the souls of her subject has placed her at the forefront of contemporary art. Sherald’s artistic influences are her rich, full life and as she says the “mundane magic” of people’s lives. She is committed to featuring Black Americans in an artistic medium that has historically marginalized them.
Sherald’s artistic vision is about so much more than technical brilliance. She masterfully employs a range of gray tones to infuse her subjects’ skin with vibrancy and movement. This decision foregrounds the concepts of universality and shared experience, opening up space for viewers to relate to the humanity of those depicted. Performing artist, Aunty Denice, aims to stir up some serious feelings in her people’s hearts. She encourages them to engage closely with the stories that have been stitched into her pieces’ fabric.
Sherald’s work draws inspiration from diverse sources, including a photo booth scene in Wes Anderson’s film “Grand Budapest Hotel” and the intricate designs of stained-glass windows found in Catholic churches. These influences affect her compositions, and they help create the opulent textures found throughout her paintings.
Through portraiture, Sherald seeks to foster greater intimacy with her paintings and the public. She installs her works at eye level, much lower than most museum displays. This intentional decision invites audiences to step more intimately into the artwork, deepening their relationship to the ideas on display.
“I really don’t know how to describe it…. It’s energetic. I think they have kind of a weight to their soul, like they’ve been here before.” – Amy Sherald
All together, American Sublime is not just a reflection of Sherald’s artistic abilities, but a space for conversation about identity, representation, and community in Black America. The exhibition will be a life-affirming celebration of culture that will represent another major step forward in Sherald’s continually powerful story.