{"id":9330,"date":"2020-02-08T10:36:06","date_gmt":"2020-02-08T15:36:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/?p=9330"},"modified":"2020-02-08T10:36:06","modified_gmt":"2020-02-08T15:36:06","slug":"reclaiming-black-beauty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/content\/articles\/reclaiming-black-beauty\/","title":{"rendered":"Reclaiming Black Beauty"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A Contemplative Act<\/em> by Janet Taylor Pickett
20″x20″; acrylic, collage on stretched canvas; 2019. Courtesy of the artist.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

FROM KOLAJ 28<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Janet Taylor Pickett
Artist Portfolio<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“Collage is also part of my visual vocabulary,” writes Janet Taylor Pickett. “My interest in botanical illustration of flora and fauna, birds and insects have held a fascination for me.” That interest culminates in a body of work the artist calls “Exotica Botanica” series. The Joyful Hope of Possibilities<\/em> shows a face painted woman in a floral headdress venerated by stars and flowers. The collages in the series seek to reclaim images of Black beauty from a colonial or imperial gaze that trivializes, infantilizes, and exoticizes African experience and culture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A portfolio of Taylor Pickett’s work appears<\/em> in<\/em> KOLAJ #28<\/a>. To see the complete Artist Portfolio, SUBSCRIBE<\/a> to<\/em> Kolaj Magazine\u00a0or\u00a0Get a Copy of the Issue<\/a>.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lemon Lady<\/em> by Janet Taylor Pickett
42″x30″‘ mixed media collage of various papers and digital images on black Fabriano paper; 2019. Courtesy of the artist.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Surma and Mursi Tribes use their love of nature for their highly individual body decoration, using the ephemeral flora and fauna of the surrounding environment to juxtapose the traditional (European gaze) and standard of beauty with the ownership of their own Black beauty.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

A portfolio of Taylor Pickett’s work appears<\/em> in<\/em> KOLAJ #28<\/a>. To see the complete Artist Portfolio, SUBSCRIBE<\/a> to<\/em> Kolaj Magazine\u00a0or\u00a0Get a Copy of the Issue<\/a>.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Janet Taylor Pickett holds both a BFA and an MFA from the School of Architecture and Design at the University of Michigan, with continued studies at Parsons School of Design, Fashion Institute of Technology, and the Vermont Studio School. She was a Professor of Art at Essex County College in New Jersey for 31 years, where she created the course study for African American History of Art. She was an Adjunct Professor at Bloomfield College, also in New Jersey, for 10 years. She was awarded grants from the New Jersey Council on the Arts, the Ford Foundation, and the Mid-Atlantic States Arts Council, as well as receiving a Pilchuk Glass Fellowship. Her work has been shown in solo and group shows in the U.S. and overseas and her work is held in many private and public collections. From February-May 2020, her work will be shown at the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC in \u201cRiffs and Relations: African American Artists and the European Modernist Tradition\u201d, curated by Adrienne Childs, Ph.D. From 20 June-27 July 2020, she is featured in exhibition with Michael Wilson at Stella Jones Gallery in New Orleans. Learn more about the artist at www.janettaylorpickett.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

FROM KOLAJ 28 Janet Taylor PickettArtist Portfolio “Collage is also part of my visual vocabulary,” writes Janet Taylor Pickett. “My interest in botanical illustration of flora and fauna, birds and insects have held a fascination for me.” That interest culminates…<\/p>\n

Read more →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":9331,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,9],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Janet-Taylor-Pickett-A-Contemplative-Act.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2QTD7-2qu","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9268,"url":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/issues\/kolaj-28\/","url_meta":{"origin":9330,"position":0},"title":"Kolaj #28","author":"Christopher Byrne","date":"30 January 2020","format":"gallery","excerpt":"SUBSCRIBE OR ORDER A COPY In this Issue Kolaj #28 looks at how collage artists get inspired: how the body decorations of Surma and Mursi Tribes inform Janet Taylor Pickett's collage; how Koji Nagai uses his first impression of the materials; how Sabine Remy is inspired by an iconic German\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Issues"","block_context":{"text":"Issues","link":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/category\/issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/kolaj-28-cover.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/kolaj-28-cover.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/kolaj-28-cover.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/kolaj-28-cover.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9184,"url":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/content\/collage-exhibitions\/riffs-and-relations\/","url_meta":{"origin":9330,"position":1},"title":"Riffs and Relations","author":"Christopher Byrne","date":"2 January 2020","format":"gallery","excerpt":"And She was Born by Janet Taylor Pickett30\"x30\"; acrylic on canvas with collage; 2017Courtesy of the artist. COLLAGE ON VIEW Riffs and Relations: African American Artists and the European Modernist Tradition at The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., USA29 February-24 May 2020 This exhibition presents works by African American artists\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Exhibitions"","block_context":{"text":"Exhibitions","link":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/category\/content\/collage-exhibitions\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/janet-taylor-pickett-and-she-was-born.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/janet-taylor-pickett-and-she-was-born.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/janet-taylor-pickett-and-she-was-born.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/janet-taylor-pickett-and-she-was-born.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15970,"url":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/content\/collage-exhibitions\/movement\/","url_meta":{"origin":9330,"position":2},"title":"Movement","author":"Christopher Byrne","date":"29 November 2024","format":"gallery","excerpt":"Cart by Janet Van Fleet29\"x49\"x25\"; mixed media. Courtesy of the artist. COLLAGE ON VIEW Janet Van Fleet: Movement at the T.W. Wood Gallery in Montpelier, Vermont, USA26 November 2024-28 January 2025 MOVEMENT is a site specific installation created by Janet Van Fleet. Van Fleet\u2019s work uses materials that have had\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Exhibitions"","block_context":{"text":"Exhibitions","link":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/category\/content\/collage-exhibitions\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/janet-van-fleet-cart.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/janet-van-fleet-cart.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/janet-van-fleet-cart.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/janet-van-fleet-cart.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8788,"url":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/content\/collage-exhibitions\/life-in-the-dales\/","url_meta":{"origin":9330,"position":3},"title":"Life in the Dales","author":"Christopher Byrne","date":"18 October 2019","format":"gallery","excerpt":"Bain Valley Twilight, Yorkshire Dales by Janet Rawlinsfabric collage; 2015Courtesy of the artist and Leeds Arts University COLLAGE ON VIEW Janet Rawlins: Life in the Dales at the Vernon Street Gallery at Leeds Arts University in Leeds, England13 September-1 November 2019 Janet Rawlins is an artist and illustratior and an\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Exhibitions"","block_context":{"text":"Exhibitions","link":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/category\/content\/collage-exhibitions\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Janet-Rawlins-Bain-Valley-Twilight-Yorks-Dales-web.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Janet-Rawlins-Bain-Valley-Twilight-Yorks-Dales-web.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Janet-Rawlins-Bain-Valley-Twilight-Yorks-Dales-web.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Janet-Rawlins-Bain-Valley-Twilight-Yorks-Dales-web.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9871,"url":"https:\/\/kolajmagazine.com\/content\/content\/collage-exhibitions\/en-bonne-compagnie\/","url_meta":{"origin":9330,"position":4},"title":"En bonne compagnie","author":"Christopher Byrne","date":"17 July 2020","format":"gallery","excerpt":"Nic Dances by Jackson Slattery72\"x96\"; oil on canvas; 2020Courtesy of the artist. COLLAGE ON VIEW En bonne compagnie (In good company) at Bradley Ertaskiran in Montreal, Quebec, Canada11 July-22 August 2020 \"En bonne compagnie\" is a group exhibition that focuses on cooperation and community. 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