In Conversation with Sharon Walters: Identity and Visibility in Contemporary Art

While looking at a work of art by Sharon Walters, I unexpectedly bumped into the artist herself. She caught me snapping a photo and casually asked, "What do you think of this piece?" Meeting Sharon right there was an incredible experience. She has a very engaging way about her, and we clicked right away.

Sharon Walters lives and works in London, where she creates art that tackles deep themes of identity, representation, and beauty, all through her lens as a Black woman. During our conversation, she explained, "My work is about celebrating Black women," and that ethos is vividly apparent in every piece she creates. Sharon uses mixed media, photography, and installations to explore how these themes intersect with race and visibility in the media. One of her standout series, "Seeing Ourselves," features beautifully detailed collages that pay homage to Black women's hair, skin, culture, and history.

Sharon’s work makes strong statements on visibility and the dynamics of looking and being looked at. By using her own photographs, images from mainstream magazines alongside hand-drawn elements and natural materials, she challenges the often-narrow portrayals of Black women in media and art history. Her work reclaims agency for Black women, offering them a space to be seen, to shine as subjects. This transformative process is both a critique and a celebration, empowering her subjects (and the viewers of her work) by reframing Black female identities in new and fresh narratives.

The specific work that I saw are three large works created by systematically cutting out small sections of large-scale photo prints, creating a powerful visual interplay between presence and absence. By carefully selecting which parts of the image to remove, Sharon emphasized the importance of negative space, not just as a visual tool, but as a metaphorical one that speaks to the complexities of identity. The silhouettes and the fragments of visible imagery craft a narrative about the essence of the individual, highlighting how identity is both what is seen and what is not seen. I loved these works as they suggest that understanding a person fully requires seeing beyond the surface to the spaces in between.

Sharon's exhibitions are renowned for their beautiful visuals and profound messages. As she continues to refine her artistic language, her work sheds light on the societal challenges and victories of the Black community, particularly Black women. Her art promotes inclusivity and celebrates everyone’s right to be seen and acknowledged.

After our initial chat, Sharon and I have kept in touch and had a couple of more conversations about her art. She's definitely one of the most intriguing artists I’ve met this year. I’m excited to see where her career goes next and hope to be involved somehow, watching her continue to push boundaries with her art. Her creative vision and deep commitment to themes of visibility and identity make her a crucial voice in contemporary art today. I look forward to seeing more of her work in future exhibitions and possibly collaborating with her on projects that bring her unique perspective to even broader audiences.