This week on Afrolicious.com we’re featuring our favorite blogs by, of, and for all sorts of Brown people. You see, we know the creative web can be a very white place, but if you know where to look, you can be inspired by all things Brown and beautiful. All these links and more are available on the Afrolicious Network as well.
Here are 8 blogs that inspire us through art that features or is created by Brown people:
1. Toyin Odutola‘s beautiful “spectrum of tonal gradations and realities.” One of my favorite 21st century artists, Toyin never ceases to take my breath away with her Black portraits. Recently, she’s been adding bits of color to her work and the effect is sublime. Visit her on tumblr as well.
2. Tabitha Bianca Brown‘s bright and whimsical illustrations always make me smile. Her latest, “Oh Mod Gosh” was “inspired by vintage fashion and teen magazines” and is available as a print at her Etsy store.
3. Dawn Okoro‘s bold, brilliant work “embodies space, movement, pattern, design, texture, and color; as well as lived experiences and self-reflexivity.” I personally love, love, love! the way she plays with the Black woman’s body. It is not demeaning, neither is it exalting; it just is human and refreshingly so. I appreciate her art so much.
4. Regina Agu’s drawings and collages resonate with me in the way they explore “women’s narratives, in particular those relating to beauty and self-definition.” Though I didn’t get to see it in person, I also enjoyed her installation for What’s the New News, which involved newspaper stands with surveillance cameras on the inside. I first found her work through her still-ongoing Draw365 series which is also a group on Flickr.
5. Brianna McCarthy‘s art records the lived experiences of Afro-Caribbean women by “revoltiong against … the stereotypical trends of representing the black body.” Her latest, “Paper Place“, is just… wow. The patterns, the colors and the eyes are just amazing to take in. She’s on tumblr, too.
6. Masala Chai is “the first and only blog featuring South Asian Art and Design from around the world!” This site is one of the reasons why I’ll never be bored on the internet. Pages upon pages of art from South Asian creators await your perusal and enjoyment.
7. African Digital Art is “an online collective, a creative space, where digital artist, enthusiasts and professionals can seek inspiration, showcase their artistry and connect with emerging artists.” Similar to Masala Chai, t’s a really amazing archive of digital art in Africa and in the African Diaspora. I recently listened to a Digital Continent Podcast featuring founder Jepchumba and Barbara Muriungi talk about about design and Africa with TMS Ruge and I left incredibly inspired by the work they’re doing to make this world that much more awesome. You should give it a listen while you peruse the archives.
8. Creative Roots archives “art and design inspiration from around the world.” So when you get done with the first seven of these links, be sure to check out the impressive collection of work they’ve put together.
I hope you enjoyed this list and even found a few new sites to check out on your daily stroll around the web. D’you have any other artists to contribute to these? I’m pretty sure I missed a considerable amount, so do leave a link in the comments below!
These links, along with a growing number of others, are available on the newly redesigned Afrolicious Network where you can add yours, too!