Iconography / A Hopeful Truth

Tawny Chatman

Born Tokyo, Japan 1979 | Active Annapolis, MD

Iconography / A Hopeful Truth, 2022–2023

24K gold leaf, 22K moon gold, acrylic paint, semi-precious stones and other mixed media on archival pigment print

The study of Dutch, Italian, Spanish, and other European portraits from the 1400s through 1600s of royalty and esteemed historic individuals in European museums influenced Tawny Chatman’s consideration of self-worth and value expressed in these works. In her own work, she specifically addresses such issues in her photographic portraits of Black children, her own included. By adding layers of rich paint and gold leaf and encrusting the surface with collage and semi-precious stones, Chatmon’s images evoke the opulent grace of Gustav Klimt’s portraits as well as the breathtaking grandeur of Byzantine mosaics.

Chatmon’s skillful and precise technique enables her to revel in the rich Black hair styles or the iridescent sheen of Brown skin. Through her portraiture the viewer sees the figure through the artist’s eyes—precious, full of dignity, and projecting self-respect. In a world that has historically judged and harshly portrayed Black children, Chatmon channels hope and aspiration into her magnificent images.