Reflecting Upon the Introduction to Simone Leigh
About this episode
During this voice bite, Solo the Artist thanks BAAR ART Journey and Residency for posting information regarding Simone Leigh's representation of the United States at the 59th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2022.
Simone Leigh's "Sovereignty" was focused on Black femme subjectivity. Simone Leigh's Birmingham (2012) was estimated to be worth 150,000 - 200,000 USD and was auctioned off at Sotherby's on May 19, 2022 for 2,167,500 USD. Birmingham was created by Simone Leigh to represent the resilience of Black women and the Church Bombing of 1963, a racially motivated attack that claimed the lives of four young Black girls and was a catalyst for the civil rights movement.
This year, Leigh became the first Black woman to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale, winning the Golden Lion for her presentation in the Arsenal. According to Sotherby's Birmingham is a masterful example of Leigh’s elegantly defiant exploration of Black female resilience and regality that establish her as a quintessential voice of American art today.
About Solo the Artist
Solo the Artist is a LA based multidisciplinary artist that was born and raised in Kansas City, MO. Playing basketball in college and then overseas in Denmark gave him essential tools that has been the foundation of his journey. After a career ending injury he then took his passion for storytelling to the screen to become an actor in television and film working on projects such as Alieu the Dreamer, Top Gun Maverick, Young and the Restless, Hawaii Five-O and Bosch. Acting prepared him with many vehicles of expression, especially the ability to be completely vulnerable which allowed him to find his true passion of becoming a contemporary artist. Solo creates abstract figurative work through a multilayer language of wisdom that he calls “F.E.E.L.” A process in which Solo describes as, “Creating art through being a vessel of (F)aith to possess the (E)nergy of (E)mpowerment through (L)ove. We all have a story and I want that to be reflected in every piece represented.” Solo tells short stories in different mediums that are divinely delivered in that moment and energetically translated creatively by giving it a voice.
Cover Art: Solo the Artist, We are all just figuring it our as we go, 2021, Acrylic on canvas, 30 x 48 in