Owen Roberts
March 9, 2022
Art263 Modified Assignment
New Jersey City University
The two pieces of artwork that I chose to represent Gender,
Race, and Identity were two different pieces by two different artists called ‘’Until’’
by Jamaal Barber and ‘’J.R.’’ by Ervin A. Johnson. These two pieces of artwork
each represent race the identity of colored people in the eyes of the public and
gives us a chance to understand different perspectives.
‘’Until’’ by Jamaal
Barber is a painting of black and white shapes and letters that spell out a very
important phrase that says ‘’Until you understand color in America nothing you
see will make sense’’. This piece of artwork sends a message that puts the life
of a minority or colored person in America in perspective for its viewers. It
challenges audiences by using the ideas of race and identity of minorities in
America to show how difficult it is for them and how one will never understand how
America really is and how it works unless you understand the different living
conditions of different races and people based on the color of your skin. This painting
represents the injustice of our system and our society in America by saying that
unless you have the knowledge of the perspectives of the lifestyles of
different people of color have then things in America would never make sense to
you.
The second piece of artwork I chose was ‘’J.R.’’ by Ervin A.
Johnson and it was a portrait of a young Black man with black spots covering
his eyes and what seems to be blood over the painting of his face, and I think
this particular painting represents all three categories of Race, Gender, and
Identity by showing what the identity of a young black man would look like, and
the blood and dark spots over his eyes probably represent different situations
and traumas he would have to go through due to his race, gender, and appearance.
These types of artwork helps to raise awareness in our society
by showing us the hardships and lifestyle minorities have to go through living
in America on a daily basis. Raising this awareness can help change the
narrative and give hope to us as a country to become more unified and caring
for other peoples’ lives and perspective.
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