|
Vitus Shell Biography
My artwork beckons the viewer to embrace the light that can exist in
darkness. African-American history is one marred by pain and struggle
that is too often forgotten and repressed. For thousands of years
African-American griots have orally passed down stories so that future
generations can know their history. As an artist, I consider myself a
visual griot. I illustrate the stories of people and places that have
significantly impacted African-American life today. My images pay homage
to slaves, sharecroppers, and countless others whose work was too often
unappreciated during their time. I seek to glorify their existence,
presenting them as strong, proud, and empowered, while illuminating their
plight.
There are several characteristics indicative of my work. The human images
I present are not portrayed with eyes, but have facial features that melt
into one another using various shades of browns and blacks to represent
the diversity of African-Americans. The omission of eyes is related to
the old adage that states that the eyes are the windows to the soul. In a
sense, the people I portray are hiding the pain and frustration they have
seen.
The black imagery I use comes from my imagination, photographs, and
historical archives. When people view my artwork, it evokes in them a
sense of kinship and self-esteem because they see people that are
familiar to them, either as family members or themselves.
In addition to celebrating the life and work of African-American people,
I also pay homage to historically black towns that for various reasons,
such as lack of funds or unfit agricultural climates, no longer exist.
The main medium that I use is acrylic paint, but I often use other
elements to give my paintings depth and texture. Some pieces may have
paper collaged onto them, pennies, stencil letters, or other items that
give the messages I want to convey a stronger effect.
Overall, my artwork is much like a blues song, or the spirituals that
were sung by the very people my work commemorates. It is dark, soulful,
melancholy, and stirring. My hope is that the viewer is transported to
another time and another place. And even while rocking in the shadows of
the past, can recognize the melody of hope and healing for the present
and the future.
|
