The Black Canvas Craftworks’ Culture Cuts is a series of 12×12 inches artworks that portray the Black spirit and life across various ages and stages, from the kings and queens of the Nile to a Jazz night in an American city.
The name ‘Culture Cuts’ refers to the engraving process we used to create these impressive wall art pieces. Next to our boutique was an engraving service that cut images into black, sturdy plastic with a white core and framed them. I instantly fell in love with the technique and knew it would be a perfect addition to our African handmade craft store. All of the Culture Cuts sold out, except the ones I kept for future giveaways, so stay tuned and follow us.
I began by sketching motifs with pencil and then developed the designs in Adobe Illustrator, starting on an all-black canvas. Playing with black and white, light and shadow, and negative space, the images came to life with depth and meaning.
The biggest challenge was the design ‘Daughters of the Diaspora’ due to its richness in details and facial expressions. It turned out to be my favorite piece, not just because it tells my own personal story of being a Black German, with Afro-Cuban roots now living in America, but also of its message and execution. This artwork celebrates the beauty and culture of four Black women from Cuba, Brazil, Jamaica, and the USA, my version of Nina Simone’s Four Women. Even though they likely never met each other in person, I aimed to portray them united in spirit, history, legacy and grace.
Looking ahead, I envision an art calendar featuring the existing Culture Cuts and five more. In the meantime, you can get your own Culture Cut as a T-shirt motif titled ‘Unity’.
Did you enjoy reading this article? Please leave a comment. Little quiz: Which one of the ‘Daughters Of The Diaspora’ is Cuban, African American, Jamaican and Brazilian?