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An artist’s impression of a black hole accretion disk Photo sourced from Wikimedia
15 Most Talented Black Artists of All Time
The term black is often used as a racialized classification of people through their political and skin-colour based category for specific populations. However, not all people considered ‘black’ have dark skin as it is perceived in other countries to mean a dark-skinned complexion. There have been several black artists who have brought up the voices of the blacks to be heard.
Several art institutions are increasingly recognising the influence of black artists which is clear through their professional exhibitions which attract international audiences. Through their art, most powerful stories and messages are passed through the generations to educate the young people. There are several most talented black people who are well-known worldwide. Let’s take a look at some of the Most Talented Black Artists of All Times:
1.Faith Rinngold
Faith is an American painter, writer, mixed media sculptor, and performance artist who was born in Harlem in 1930. She met a time of opposition as she grew up as a black woman who wanted to be an artist in a society dominated by men. She is one of the best examples of the ladies who have defied all odds to earn her place in the history of art.
Other than being a media artist, Faith Ringgold is also a teacher and lecturer who has exhibited at MoMA, the Guggenheim and the Whitney Museum of American Art as well as many other places. She got her first solo show at the Serpentine in London. Her work has been used to tackle prejudice with uncompromising directness to her targeted audiences.
2.Rashid Johnson
Portrait of Rashid Johnson Photo sourced from Wikimedia
Born in 1977, Rashid Johnson is an American artist who produces conceptual post-black art. He received his first critical attention when some of his work were included in the “Freestyle Exhibition” at the Studio Museum in Harlem in 2001.He earned world wide recognition for his work of defining art as he understands it and not shying away from making changes.
Rashid Johnson studied at Columbia College Chicago and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with his work being displayed around the world. Other than photography, Rashid Johnson makes audio installations, video and several sculpture. He is well recognised for both his unusual artistic productions and combination of various aspects of science with black history.
3.Kara Walker
Kara Walker’s interview at the Camden Arts Centre, London Photo sourced from Wikimedia
Kara Elizabeth Walker was born on 26th November 1969 is an American contemporary painter, silhouettist, print-maker, installation artist, filmmaker and professor. As a professor, she explores race, gender, sexuality, violence and identity at her work.She can be described as one of the best female artists of all time for her contribution and achievements in the art world.
Her best work that got her known worldwide was the room-size tableaux of black cut-paper silhouettes. At the age of 28, Kara Elizabeth Walker got awarded with a MacArthur fellowship making her the youngest ever recipients of the award. Since 2015, she has been the Tepper Chair in Visual Arts at the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University.
Read more about her here.
4.Njideka Akunyili Crosby
Njideka_Akunyili Photo sourced from Wikimedia
Crosby is a Nigerian-born visual artist who works in Los Angeles, California, born in 1983. She easily “negotiates the cultural terrain between her adopted home in America and her native Nigeria” through creating collage and photo transfer-based paintings which reveal the challenges of occupying these two worlds.
Crosby got awarded the prestigious Genius Grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in 2017.She is also one of Africa’s great minds though she represents the USA, her contribution and achievements is what mostly defines her. She is one of the most recognized female figures in the modern art world.
5.Kehinde Wiley
Born on 28th February 1997, Kehinde Wiley is an African-American portrait painter who is based in New York City. He is popularly known for his highly naturalistic paintings of Black people which he frequently references the work of Old Master paintings.He was commissioned in 2017 to paint a portrait of former President Barack Obama for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery which has all portraits of previous American presidents.
The Columbus Museum of Art hosted an exhibition of his work in 2007.
The administration described his work as follows: “Wiley has gained recent acclaim for his heroic portraits which address the image and status of young African-American men in contemporary culture.” He was included in Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2018.
6.Aretha Franklin
Franklin was not only a soul music legend when she was alive, but she was also a larger-than-life personality who performed more often until she died. Her music career began when she sang with her father in his church. She was a member of a touring group who was known as the ‘gospel caravan’.
Aretha was majorly influenced by gospel music but she later expanded her career into multiple genres, from R&B to Jazz and blues to Motown-tinged rock. Franklin was the recipient of eighteen Grammys and boasted of over 100 singles which earned a spot on the Billboard charts. She also sold over 75 million copies of her album worldwide.
Read more about her in Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Aretha Franklin
7.Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson Photo sourced from Wikimedia
Michael Jackson was raised in the music industry as he started out young, singing and dancing with his brothers in a band known as The Jackson Five. However, his solo career made him a permanent pop culture fixture even after his death.His Solo album, Thriller released in 1984 got much criticism but still remains one of the best-selling albums of all time.
Michael Jackson’s iconic dance moves are still being imitated and emulated by several other artists and fans worldwide. He had a unique career in that he holds 39 different Guinness World Records and is regarded as the most awarded artist in the history of music.He defied all odds coming from a poor family background to become one of the most renowned musicians of all time.
Read more about him here.
8.Muddy Waters
Born on 4th April 1913, Muddy Waters is widely considered as one of the most influential Black musicians in history. He worked in both the rock and roll and blues genres through which he inspired generations of musicians with his emotion-laden renditions of original and classic blues.
Muddy Waters was also an accomplished singer and guitar player who is best remembered for his song Mannish Boy.His contribution to the art world will always be remembered and he will also be remembered for his achievements, though he had a short career, he left his mark and earning the praise he gets in the process.
9.Jay-Z
Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Photo sourced from Wikimedia
Born as Shawn Corey Carter, Jay-Z is a record producer and rapper who founded the Roc Nation entertainment agency. Jay-Z alongside fellow artists and being the CEO of Def Jam, he became one of the founding fathers of modern hip hop. He became famous for his song ‘Empire State Of Mind’ which he collaboration with Alicia Keys.
This song scooped the number-one which was also his first number one. He is one of the most renowned musicians of all time and has released some of the best songs over the years and while also naturing some of the best upcoming artists in the process. He and his wife Rihanna have built an empire which most musicians look up to.
Read more about him in 10 Cute Things to Know About Beyoncé’s and Jay-Z’s Love Story
10.Bob Marley
He takes the top spot as the world’s best-known reggae artist who is widely remembered for his passionate music and his commitment to justice and peace. Bob Marley had a band known as The Wailer which is largely credited with bringing reggae to America in the 60s.
His music became a cultural staple that some of his songs have been covered over and over again by several artists. On top of his music, Bob Marley was known for introducing a larger audience to the Rastafarian lifestyle and beliefs.He defined what we call reggae, which is the African roots. He is remains the best to even in his death.
11.Mary J. Blige
From song writing and singing to acting, Mary J. Blige has done it all to earn her the nickname The Queen of Hip Hop Soul. She was signed to the Uptown Records label in 1988 and spent several decades creating the R&B music which her nine Grammy Award.
Mary J. Blige began her music career as a backup performer and came along way to be named by the Billboard Magazine as the most successful R&B performer of the last quarter century.She is one of the top rated female artists in our list today and her contributions to art cannot be forgotten.
12.Alicia Keys
Alicia Key began her music journey at the age of 12 when she composed her own songs. She is a classically trained pianist who was signed to Columbia Records before the age of 16.
In 2001, her album known as Songs In A Minor sold twelve million plus copies across the world. Alicia Keys boasts of fifteen Grammy Awards and 30 nominations.
13.Usher
Like many black artists, Usher always cites Michael Jackson as his major influence in his exciting career. Usher is a singer and songwriter who notched his first R&B top 10 with his hit song Think of You in 1995.He is one of the black artists who have left a mark in the world of art and among the most renowned artist when it comes to employing new tactics.
His long career has been a major success and has solidified the smooth-dancing tenor’s reputation and became an influential force to artists like Justin Bieber. Usher indulged into dance and pop which have made him a great and most influential Black artist.He often described as one of the best artists.
14.Louis Armstrong
It is not that easy to imagine about the jazz genre or the city of New Orleans without Louis Armstrong who was popularly known as Satchmo. He was an impressive trumpet player and talented singer with his unique voice and original style of trumpet playing making him one of the greatest from New Orleans.
Louis Armstrong got his first Jon as a musician playing bugle and cornet with a riverboat band which led away from a career in crime. He managed to forge a way into making whites to listen songs by blacks. He renowned both locally and internationally for his sense of humor and tactics he employed to earn the attention of world in a white dominated world.
Read more about him here.
15.George Clinton
He was a musical rebel who spearheaded against the typical look and sound of Black bands of the 60s. George Clinton gave his audiences a new and innovative funk sound that told things to come rather than choreographed performances and suits. His performances and achievements earned him a spot in this list of the best black artists of all time.
George had a wild sense of fashion and dance moves will be emulated by performing all over the world continuously. He is also one of the greatest black artists.This and many more other black artists have had a chance to dominate the art world and have been able to leave a mark. They also dominated a world where whites were superior when it comes to art and almost everything.
