Artist Statement

In what seems to be other worlds painted in vivid colors and intricate details, I invite my viewers into the neglected narratives of African American history, life, and culture. In my practice of painting and printmaking, I create largescale works that envelop viewers in stories of the everyday interwoven with allusions to the past. My work becomes a collective portrait of what it means to be African American today in a celebration of its rich, diverse, and beautiful nature.

 

Within each piece, I dissect the way we perceive African American culture today. In an investigation into race and the legacy of slavery, I use my work to challenge the day-to-day perceptions, the way our history is written, and how we chronicle art history in regard to the black experience. Through a confluence of mythological, religious, and iconic historical imagery I construct a new visual language that can be engaged as a tool to unearth the forgotten, overlooked, and blatantly ignored narratives of African Americans since before the birth of the nation. However, my final images, while raw and vulnerable, do not radiate with pain and trauma that has been intergenerationally embodied, but the strong and resilient spirit of our people.

 

My work simultaneously acknowledges the traumas of our past while unveiling the vibrancy of the culture that has formed in its wake. The dramatic and intense scenes I depict speak to instilling a new sense of empathy as viewers connect to the stories unfolding before them, an act that works to combat the ongoing whitewashing of histories. Each painting and print becomes a window into the overlooked facets of our society that exist alongside us. 

Biography

Terron Cooper Sorrells (b. 1994, Virginia) explores the nuances of African American cultural and historical tapestry across diverse milieus and epochs. Inspired by western culture and ideologies, he works in the mediums of painting and printmaking. The artist describes himself as a compositional perfectionist.

 

Sorrells notes a need for harmony in everything he does, toeing the line between realism and abstraction, and between traditional and contemporary representation. Citing Rembrandt, Picasso, and Kerry James Marshall as inspiration for his cool palette, the artist works are the product of an inherent need to exist. His portrayal of Black people in the United States is founded in narrative storytelling—showcasing the good, the bad, and the overarching pain and beauty of daily life.

 

The artist holds a degree from Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). He previously completed the Center of Excellence program at Churchland High School, where he studied the formal qualities of art and art history. In 2010, Sorrells attended the Governor’s School for the Arts summer residential program at Radford University. During this time, he honed a unique drawing sensibility that continues to inform his practice. His work has been presented by Richard Beavers Gallery in New York, Steve Turner Gallery in Los Angeles, and Kavi Gupta Gallery in Chicago. Sorrells lives and works in Chicago and is currently represented by Richard Beavers Gallery.

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