Photography Exhibition Erica Deeman: Silhouettes

Silhouettes comprises a series of 45 x 45 inch color portraits of women from the African Diaspora, most of whom were previously unknown to the artist. Deeman found her subjects by placing ads, approaching strangers on the street, and asking friends and family to pose. The artist engages the complex legacy of the silhouette to subvert established biases founded on “face value”, gender, and race.

Deeman’s portraits elevate Black Femininity and identity, highlighting an emerging critical narrative that defies stereotype and biases. At first glance, the large-than-life portraits appear to be impenetrable black and white silhouettes, but as the viewer becomes more intimate with each image, each woman’s individuality is revealed through rich textures, skin color and facial expressions. Deeman states: “It has been for me to reflect how I see myself, how I see and how I am seen…through these women.”

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