Artist: Marlena Wild
Artist Bio: I create layered works based on my perspective of all that is, portrayed both physically and metaphorically to convey a poignant message that can be understood in stages by all: to show that all is a part of the whole—some parts known and others unknown. Neither is one without the other, for negative space is necessary to define any picture.
I explore the concepts of light and dark, black and white, in relation to race, religion, and gender through several different perspectives, mediums, and dimensions. I address how our opinions and understandings of duality shape our worlds, while also giving a voice to my past, present, and future views as a Black artist raised within predominantly white religious spaces.
Title: Light and Dark II
Medium: Acrylic and charcoal on paper
Dimensions: 18 x 24 inches
Price: $1100
Artist Statement: I was taught that my darkness was a mark, that my skin bore a lineage of punishment, while the boys around me bruised my body and called it belonging. In this piece, light and dark do not compete. They define each other. A figure of absence and a figure of presence—mirror and inverse. I carry both. I am both. And though I’ve walked through storms cast by others’ interpretations, I’ve learned to let the rain fall and the paint drip. I am not afraid of storms—for they have made me fluent in contrast, and contrast is what makes form visible.
