Christie’s features Gherdai Hassell in Black visionary artists’ show
Bermudian artist Gherdai Hassell is being featured in an exhibition of Black visionary artists by world-renowned auction firm Christie’s.
The exhibition, in partnership with curator Destinee Ross-Sutton, is the second edition of Say It Loud: Visionaries of Self and runs from August 5 to 19. The first in the series Say It Loud (I’m Black and Proud), also for Christie’s, was close to sold out.
Ms Hassell has submitted a piece called When She Talks of Liberation - a 34“ by 30“ acrylic and pink fabric paper collage on canvas. It is priced between $15,000 and $20,000.
A spokeswoman for Christie’s said: “In continuing the Say it Loud exhibition series, Christie’s aims to provide a necessary and ongoing global platform for the amplification and celebration of individual Black artists’ distinct perspectives, narratives and lenses.”
The show features 32 works that will be auctioned in an online format and is complimented by an exhibition at Christie’s New York galleries. It is accompanied by educational programming including a course on business skills for artists hosted by Christie’s Education.
Ms Hassell is pursuing a master’s degree in contemporary art with the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou.
She recently held her first Bermuda solo exhibition, I Am Because You Are, at the Bermuda National Gallery using slave portraits to piece together Bermuda’s history.
She joins an international group of returning artists and is one of 17 “emerging and established mid-career” artists in the Christie’s show.
The spokeswoman added: “Consisting of predominantly figural works, this tightly-curated grouping unites a rich diversity of individual voices, creative practices, and a myriad of cultural and social experiences through stimulating renderings of the human form.”
Artists will receive 100 per cent of the proceeds form the sale of their art.
A portion of the remitted proceeds will go toward funding the Black Artist Collective, a foundation founded by Ms Ross-Sutton to promote and support young and emerging African and LGBTQ+ artists of colour.
Celine Cunha, founder and co-chairman of equity, diversity and inclusion at Christie’s, said: “We’re delighted to be launching the second iteration of Say It Loud in partnership with visionary curator Destinee Ross-Sutton, using the Christie’s space and global reach to showcase the work of exceptional Black artists exploring individuality and perception.
“It was imperative that an uncensored platform be offered to optimise creative expression, and that the artists be empowered to frame their own representation.”
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