Celebrating Queens: Sharon Walters

On the 16th June, I took my son to the park, it was a lovely summer day, I enjoyed listening to my summer playlist and had some fun on the swing, and letting little man play.

On the way back from the park I stopped off in MAC centre, Birmingham, and I happened to come across an Art exhibition, I just remember looking across the space and seeing different pieces of art with colourful contrast, some 3D image art and the most beautiful thing I noticed was…I saw myself in these images, the different collage of black women plastered all over the walls was so beautiful to see.

Seeing Ourselves — Sharon Walters

None other than “Seeing Ourselves” by Sharon Walters, (https://www.londonartist1.com/) developing such magnificent pieces, one of my favourite pieces I saw that day was Natural Hair, collage (2018) and Wakanda, collage (2018). Sharon Walters's work empowers black women to ‘take up space’, be seen, and create their own spaces.

‘Sharon’s ongoing series ‘Seeing Ourselves is an exploration of identity, beauty standards, and race through celebratory papercuts and hand-assembled collages, which are available as limited edition prints.

These pieces are created using images from women’s magazines, as well as photographs were taken by the artist herself, or provided by others. Each carefully constructed collage features a black woman and is a celebration of natural afro hair and its beauty.

Sharon’s celebratory approach extends through to her workshop and curatorial work, which continues to explore the representation of black women in many areas, including arts, heritage and media. Sharon reframes these representations to share her experiences as a black woman in a celebratory, uplifting light’ (www.londonartist1.com, n.d.).

About the Artist-

Sharon Walters graduated with a degree in Fine Art from Central St Martins (University of the Arts) in 2011. Sharon developed her own work with community arts organisations and museums, she expressed her art through these platforms and explored the voices of people who we rarely hear about’ (www.londonartist1.com, n.d.)

My Experience

I loved every art piece I observed, I was blessed to see black women portrayed in such a beautiful, unique, bold way and I was wondering who was this artist, I have never seen art in a while and to see this exhibition lifted me up.

I enjoyed every piece I saw, because it brought out the idea of power, bold beauty, loving yourself as a black woman authentically, self-love, and black women blossoming through each art piece, there was some black magic that represented itself through her work.

Not only did Sharon Walters bring her creativity into art and magic but she also combined historical black women within her art pieces, this enabled viewers like myself to research our culture, and find out about these women she excellently represented like Dido Elizabeth Belle (1761–1804) and Sarah Forbes Bonetta (1843–1880), I didn’t know who these women were until this exhibition, I was thankful to Sharon Walters for opening those doors.

Her exhibition opened so many conversations and thoughts we need to be having especially in the 21st century where so much is changing in the world, and how the world is still got a lot of work to do with racism, prejudice and what social class as true beauty, natural beauty.

I remember growing up seeing in some ways how the world portrays black women to be the least beautiful in some parts of social media. Despite seeing some of the world inject their lips, bottom and boobs, growing up I remember being in my teen life where if you were light skin you were known to be more beautiful than someone like myself who was not light skin, or brown skin.

I remember recognising how some parts of Hollywood and the industries portray, long beautiful hair, blonde probably, blue eyes, I’m even aware when I attended job interviews where the person interviewing me was shocked that I was black because my name sounded white to them. It was a trial and half growing up trying to find myself and love me for me authentically, whether I had natural hair or braids I had to fight with myself and remind myself I am beautiful too.

I don’t need the world to validate me, I don’t need anyone’s approval, Sharon Walters work placed a spark in me to keep believing in my late 20s that I am still beautiful in my own skin.

Through viewing Sharon Walters's work I could hear songs playing in my head like “Brown Skin Girl” by Beyonce.

I was able on this day to ask myself how I see myself, sometimes it doesn’t cross our minds how we define ourselves in beauty and our truth until we see a piece of art or a song that mirrors what we feel about our reflection or helps us find the answers to how we see ourselves.

When I got home I had to take what I was inspired by through her exhibition and ask myself, how do I see myself?

I was honoured to interview the amazing artist herself and get her feedback regarding her amazing artwork and creativity.

Check out and stay tuned for Sharon Walters, A voice for Queens all over the world

https://www.londonartist1.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avzm6_17KUU&feature=emb_imp_woyt