A selection of paintings by self-taught artist Glenn Hardy Jr. Born and raised in Maryland, Hardy composes idyllic scenes and portraits of black figures in moments of relaxation, contemplation, and celebration. Heavily influenced by Kerry James Marshall whose interrogations of Western art history works to correct the omission of black figures, Hardy constructs a compendium of universal moments that stand in opposition to negative stereotypes of black life:

“Black people seen in a good light, being happy, and having fun is always the goal. When people view these works, I want them to be able to think back to a time where they can recall doing something like what they see in each piece. We’ve all had a time where we celebrated wins with friends, we’ve all had a favourite ice cream at the ice-cream truck, and most of us have played games with friends and strangers during recess or at the park. Experiences are important and being seen as human is important to having those positive experiences.”

Check out more of Hardy’s work below!