Jordan Casteel Discusses Harlem Portraits in Studio Museum Residency Exhibition

Jordan Casteel creates monumental oil paintings depicting Black men from her Harlem community during her residency at the Studio Museum in Harlem. Her work appears in the exhibition "Tenses," organized by Amanda Hunt, where she discusses her artistic process with Nicole Kaack. Casteel's canvases, such as "Charles" (2016), "Stanley" (2016), and "Jared" (2016), all measuring 78×60 inches or similar dimensions, feature vibrant colors and capture intimate moments from both interior and street settings. She photographs her subjects in their everyday environments, including barbershops with political signage like "stop police terror," which she incorporates without fabrication. Casteel emphasizes her role as a Black woman portraying Black men, aiming to slow viewers down and foster empathy. The residency also includes artists Jibade-Khalil Huffman and EJ Hill, who occupy third-floor studios overlooking 125th Street and the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building plaza. Photographs of the works are credited to Adam Reich. Casteel describes her painting process as spiritual, akin to "giving birth" or "going to church," and hopes her artworks initiate conversations independently. The interview is part of a series on NYAQ's website, with Hill's conversation to follow his gallery performances.