Artist Talkback with Darian Stewart

Artist Talkback with Darian Stewart

Come join us for an intimate evening with the talented artist, Darian Stewart, at HomeToHarlem. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Darian creative process, inspirations, and upcoming projects. This is your chance to ask questions, mingle with fellow art enthusiasts, and gain insight into the mind of a brilliant artist. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect with Darian Stewart and delve into the world of art!

Darian Deshawn Stewart born and raised in Arkansas, is a New York based multidisciplinary artist that merges multimedia collaged images, materials such as beads, rhinestones, fabric, and paint together to create complex compositions full of layers. Stewart draws from personal experiences within his work navigating life as a queer black man, a father, a lover, and a free spirit. Stewarts work explores the notions of identity, the African diaspora, sexual liberation, queer navigation, escapism, and the dichotomy of being black and white.  

Stewart attended Arkansas State University where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in both Graphic Design and Fine Arts in 2019. He received his Masters of Fine Arts degree at Parsons School

of Design in 2022l. He has exhibited at The Bradbury Art Museum at Arkansas State University, 25 East 13th Gallery, the Window Show at The New School, Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Gallery, Mobifest, Somad Gallery,Silvermine Gallery, ArtCrawlHarlem, and Kente Royal Gallery. Stewart loves spending time with his daughter, exploring the outdoors, and fashion. Stewart is currently a part of ArtCrawlHarlem Residency on Governors Island. 

Artist Statement:

As a bi racial black individual, my experience is a complex tapestry woven from threads of identity, belongings, experiences, and societal perception. Navigating on both sides of the white picket fence, being black and white. In a country that often reduces individuals to singular narratives, I find myself navigating a landscape that is both familiar and foreign. My artwork reflects the duality of my existence, caught between worlds, yet fully immersed in the richness and struggles of black culture. Reclaiming my space as a pivot for my community, and creating narratives the viewer can see themselves in. 

Living in the deep American South I have experienced and witnessed the multifaceted games America plays with the black communities. The persistent stereotypes, the pressure to conform, and the predefined boxes, all while being on both sides of the white picket fence. An expression that sells the American Dream, while fully experiencing the duality of being black and white. These games manifest in both overt and subtle ways. Often shaping how I am seen and how I navigate my identity. I am embraced and rejected, celebrated and marginalized, a living embodiment of the complexities that exist in the black experience. 

The series “America has a problem” serves as a mirror reflecting the dualities of my own life pulling from self experiences of vulnerability, anger, love, passion, and comfortability. This series represents a reclaiming of space and taking back my own value through everything I have been through throughout my life. While also showing the tension of representation and reality, exposing the ways marginalized voices are silenced , commodified, and manipulated. The work dives into personal experiences with racism in the south, my journey with self discovery, my supporting family, being a queer black father, honoring my family members, political stances in America,  and the games that are played with my black community, yet  also taking up space in a celebratory way. Pushing back, and serving as a platform for dialogue, illuminating the hardships of living in a world that is quick to label, while also honoring the richness of my heritage and reclaiming myself. 

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

HomeToHarlem, 246 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, United States