BISA Exploring Complex

Individuality

BUTLER
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Bisa Butler was born in Orange, New Jersey in 1973. Her mother was a French teacher
from New Orleans. Her father was born in Ghana, and immigrated to the US where he
became a college president. She is passionate about Black history and using art to tell
important stories about how Black cultures, communities, and individuals who
impacted the history of the United States. Much of her art is influenced by the way
many accounts of history are often biased, and paint the wrong picture about Black
history. She is an artist and educator with a diverse background in different art
mediums. Bisa creates textile artwork, primarily quilts, that represent African
American traditions, history, and stories of Black families.

"I know why the Caged Birds Sing" 2019

MEDIUMS & MEANINGS

Bisa Buter uses textiles and threads as the medium for her work. Quilts are a
type of textile that are often used in many African traditions to tell stories or
send a message. Bisa tells her own stories with her artwork, and her use of
textiles helps her stay connected to a big piece of her identity - African culture.

When making your own art, how can the medium you use for your
artwork enhance the meaning?

What are some ways you can incorporate a piece of your identity
in your artwork?

ARTIST INTENT
Bisa Butler uses people (figures) as the subject of
her artwork. Her intent is to highlight African
American people to create a narrative about their
role in American history, marginalization of black
people, and how their identities are shaped by
their culture and experiences.
CULTURE IDENTITY
 ARTWORKS
"Anaya with Oranges", 2017

Bisa Butler's parents

came form two different
African cultures. Her
diverse cultural
experience growing up
inspired her to make the
artwork that she does.
She uses art to stay
connected with her
identity and culture.

"Kindred", 2020

The colors in this quilt

are traditional colors
seen in many African
cultural icons and
symbols. Bisa often
uses family members as
her subjects, but many
of the figures also
represent members of
the black community
who have been
marginalized and under-
represented in history.

"Daughter of Dust", 2017

"I was surrounded by art all the time.

Art was a strong tradition my family.
I was inspired by Howard University,
where we approached art by thinking
about: how do you compose an
interesting composition? But also
how do you define African American
culture? How do I show that the
culture is stronger and better?"
- Bisa Butler
This artwork uses many yellows,
oranges, and reds. These colors are
analogous.
 "Southside Sunday" 2018

Frameworks
Structural Cultural
- Blue and Orange are
- Are pieces of Bisa's identity
complementary colors. How
reflected in her artwork? Where?
are they used in Butlers'
compositions? Does they make
- How does Bisa use color to
certain images stand out?
connect with her culture?

- Compare her artwork: what

- The figures in Bisa's work are
colors or patterns does she
representative of marginalized
often use?
black people of history, as well as
her family members. Why do you
- What other color relationships
think she choses people for her
does she use? Where does she
subject?
use analogous colors?

Subjective Post-Modern
- Who would this artwork be
- How would the meaning of the
most meaningful to?
artwork change if different colors
were used?
- How does her art bring
awareness to past and present
- How do the colors and patterns
black culture and
add to the messages or meaning
marginalization?
of the artwork?

- Family and community are

- Who was the intended
themes in many of Bisa's work.
audience of this art? Who was
What relatable imagery does she
it made for?
use to show these themes?

"The artists quilts are a kaleidoscope of color

and texture collating the influences and
experiences of individuals of African decent.”
- The Financial Times, 2020
 Alma Thomas
Alma Thomas is an artist
from the 1970's who heavily
focused on color theory, and
explored it in many of her
compositions. She grew up
comfortably in Georgia with
her parents and 4 sisters.
Colors and patterns dominate
her paintings, and much of
her art focuses on the way
colors interact on canvas.

Ines Longevial

Ines Longevial is a French painter who creates many figure

paintings using blocks of soft colors. The subjects of her
artwork are often family members, and she is inspired by the
memories from her childhood. The painting here is called
"Sisters sunabathing".

Ines moved to Paris

as a young artist. She
often explores her
identity and her lived
experiences in her art.

Compare & Contrast

How does Ines Longevial use complementary colors in this work
in a similar way to Bisa Butler's "Southside Story" (2017) quilt?
What is different about the subject of Alma Thomas's painting
and the subjects in Bisa Butler's quilts?
Do you think Alma Thomas's painting has a subject? what is it?
Bisa Butler focuses on culture and history; what do you think
inspired Alma Thomas to make art in the style that she does?
Do their background and experiences seem to have an effect on
the work?
What is different about Bisa's figures and Ines Longevial's
figures?
What ways do all of these artists use patterns? How are those
patterns different?
How do Ines and Bisa's works have similar themes or meanings?
How do they express culture in similar ways?
 "In my work, I am telling the story—
this African American side— of the
American life. History is the story of
men and women, but the narrative is
controlled by those who hold the pen."
- Bisa Butler, Clair Oliver Gallery
"The African-American faces that we
see are a part of history, some forgotten,
but still reminiscent of the
narrative in our ever-changing society."
- Caira Moreira-Brown, NewCity Art

Vocabulary
Line - An element of art that can be used to
suggest shape, pattern, form, structure,
growth, depth, distance, rhythm, movement
and emotions.
Pattern - a design in which lines, shapes,
forms or colours are repeated.
Analogous Colors - Colors that are
near/next to each other on the color wheel
Complementary Colors - Colors that are
opposite each other on the color wheel;
often used to make contrast.
Monochromatic Colors - The same color
used in different values of light and dark.
Identity - the way we perceive and express
ourselves.
Subject - The main focus of an artwork.
Figure - human form.
Layering - overlapping mediums or objects
in artwork.
Symbol - imagery that represents an idea, a
message, or feeling.

References
https://www.bisabutler.com/press
https://ineslongevial.com/Bio
https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/9324/bisa-
butler-portraits
https://americanart.si.edu/artist/alma-thomas
https://www.juxtapoz.com/news/books/book-
review-bisa-butler-portraits/