African American visual artists have long used their work as both mirror and megaphone—reflecting the lived experiences of Black communities while amplifying messages of identity, resistance, and healing. The following quotes spotlight the wisdom and vision of artists who challenge boundaries and redefine what it means to make art as a form of community building, cultural affirmation, and social advocacy.

🎨 On Community

Faith Ringgold
“You can’t sit around and wait for somebody to say who you are. You need to write it and paint it and do it.”

Kerry James Marshall
“I always wanted to make paintings that were about the experience of being Black in this country… and that included a sense of community, beauty, and endurance.”

Lorna Simpson
“My work has always been about pushing against the limits and reclaiming spaces for Black narratives, especially for Black women.”

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✊🏾 On Blackness

Jean-Michel Basquiat
“I am not a Black artist. I am an artist.”
Often interpreted as a challenge to tokenization, while still deeply rooted in Black identity and expression.

Barkley L. Hendricks
“I paint people who are proud to be Black, beautiful, and themselves.”

Mickalene Thomas
“My work explores how Blackness is portrayed in visual culture. I’m interested in reframing that narrative on our terms.”

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🗣️ On Advocacy

Betye Saar
“I wanted to empower Black people. Art can be a weapon for social change.”

Howardena Pindell
“Art institutions must be accountable. I use my voice and my art to challenge racism, sexism, and exclusion.”

Theaster Gates
“Art can be a catalyst for transformation—not just in galleries, but in neighborhoods and communities.”

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This collection of voices affirms that Black artists do more than make images—they create space for dialogue, restoration, and radical self-definition. Their work reminds us that visual art is not only a form of expression, but also a tool for liberation.

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credit: Copyright © 2025 Art quotes compiled by ART | Library Deco. ISSN: 2476-0900 (Online)