Christie’s online sale 'Say it Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)' features 22 Black artists

Christie’s has launched an online selling exhibition titled 'Say it Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)', curated by Destinee Ross-Sutton in collaboration with The Harlem Arts Alliance. The show features 22 emerging and established Black artists from Africa and the diaspora, running until August 18, 2020. The title references James Brown’s 1968 anthem. Ross-Sutton emphasizes portraiture to confront racial stereotypes and highlight Black identity, especially in the context of Black Lives Matter protests. Works include Yoyo Lander’s triptych 'Have Tears Sometimes', Barry Yusufu’s emotive pieces, Nelson Makamo’s non-stereotypical faces, Josh Paige’s vulnerable depictions of Black men with crosshairs, and Collins Obijaku’s elegant portraits. Ross-Sutton, who has curated at MoCADA and CFHILL Stockholm, also manages artists. Christie’s CSR Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives organized talks with Harlem Arts Alliance to address inequality. The exhibition provides international exposure for artists new to the US market; for example, Lander’s triptych entered a Milan private collection, and Juwon Aderemi’s 'When Will the Mailman Arrive' went to a Singapore collector.