Honestly, abstract art was never really my thing. I used to think if it didn’t have a Black face in it, then it wasn’t for us. I wanted to see our likeness and stories in the art at museums and galleries. Abstract art? I couldn’t see how it represented us.
But then I saw Alma Thomas’s art in the flesh, which changed everything for me.
Art is subjective, they say.
And I get it now—abstract art is about the artist’s message, not just faces. It’s about what they’re trying to convey, even without a clear picture.
For example,
Michaela Yearwood-Dan’s artwork above pulls me in. Her brushstrokes are fierce and intentional, yet they carry a gentleness that tells a thousand stories. Each one is a chapter that speaks to someone different.
It’s more than art—it’s a conversation, a reflection of the countless narratives within the Black diaspora. It invites us, the viewers, to see parts of our stories woven into the fabric of her vibrant creation.