The Inspiration
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.
An Unlike Technique
The name ‘Culture Cuts’ refers to the engraving process used to create these impressive wall pieces. The magical appeal of these pieces lies in the unlike unity of synthetic material and themes of ethnicity, roots and culture. The images are mechanically edged into black, sturdy plastic board with a white core resulting in 3D surface of shadow and depth.
I instantly fell in love with the technique and knew it would be a perfect addition to our then African handmade craft store.
“There’s a kind of magic that stirs when art begins on a canvas of pure black—an echo of the first creation unfolding beneath my hand.”
Sara, Artist
Crafted by Hand
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 Daughters of the Diaspora
My 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.