This giving and receiving of love is the basis for the Limited Edition show that runs through June 11th.

Byrd curated the show intending to requite the love that his audience has unconditionally shown by creating more access to their work.

It is almost widely known in the high art arena there is a belief that reproductions of an artist's work can cheapen the collectability. Yet, Black artists understand that reproductions bolster the original message and allow multiple Black spaces to pass that message on.

"[W]e gotta let you know that this is for you because it is for you because I'm speaking to you through the art," explained Byrd. "It looks like you or somebody in your family. I come from where you come from, you know?

"You own it; honestly, without even having a physical piece of that, you have ownership of it. Because you contribute to the culture."

As Byrd looked around before the opening ceremony, while describing each artist's conversations through their displayed work, he happened upon a through-line: the beauty of the worlds they created.

The beauty of a re-narrated and self-owned story of Blackness is apparent in WAK's Love, Peace, and Soul. There is beauty in the mirrored qualities of femininity and masculinity in Palmer's I am a Man and Orbs. Prevalent in the show is how beautiful Black culture and individuality can be in Dubleyoo's Pop Sucks. The vulnerability of humanity possesses beautiful qualities that glow through Byrd's I'm starting to Understand.

The pieces on display have limited availability, but their reproductions create access to the effervescence of these worlds that would usually be unavailable due to the price of the original.

For WAK, participating in the giclee-reproduction exclusive showcase is about "cultivating collectors" and allowing artists to have a voice in the conversations their art sparks within the audience.

"I do believe that artists should have partnership within their creativity," the Queen artist explained. "I don't think anybody should have complete control of an artist. I think an artist can do business with [a gallery], they can have joint ventures, they can be equal partners, but the artists do have to have stock in themselves, it shouldn't be that you're waiting to just get paid, you should be able to pay as well."

This equity allows artist to continue the work of world-building and speaking to their audience, without having to over-extend their creative reach.

According to WAK, it was through famed artist Ernie Barnes' mentorship that he learned the lesson of artistic ownership.

Apropos of the moment, the open edition Sugar Shack by Barnes, which has been in reproduction for decades, sold – its first time at auction – for $15.2 million in May.

"Ernie Barnes controlled his work," said WAK, speaking on the monumental sale. "…Sugar Shack is $300; take it or leave it. That's a lot of power."

"There's understanding that he understood his worth; he understood his power," he continued later.

"He understood his licensing of his creativity, and he wanted compensation for it. The myth was that that will hurt any level of collectability in the fine art world -- [$15.2 million] said differently."

The sale of Sugar Shack and its starting valuation of only $150,000 heading into the opening ceremony of the giclee-reproduction show also gave Byrd perspective on the perceived value of Black Art.

"That [sale] was timely for my argument and really a lot of artists' arguments," Byrd said. "We definitely got to say 'shame on you' out loud for devaluing our damn culture and not keep letting [appraisers] get away with that.

Byrd believes that the show will open the eyes of collectors and appraisers to understanding Black ownership of Black stories and spaces in art is revolutionary.

"The shift isn't really honestly making giclee and doing reproductions," Byrd says. That's not the constant shift. The constant shift of artists is saying, 'Oh, look, I actually have the power. Oh, look, I'm actually in control of my product. I make the rules.' That's the shift."

EVENT SLIDESHOW

Those who are not able to visit the show at Future Gallery are able to view and purchase many works of art by WAK, Charly Palmer and other African American artists at The Black Art Depot. We Make Homes Look Good!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR