Voices of the Diaspora: The Artisans Behind the Canvas

Ruby Pearl Washington (1952-2018) was an American photojournalist. She was the first Black woman to become a staff photographer at The New York Times.

Sable Elyse Smith (1986- ) is an American interdisciplinary artist, writer, and educator. Her work highlights the ways that our culture overlooks violence, particularly carceral violence. For example, the prison visiting room is a place of interest for Smith. The violence of the police state has private and public implications, harming on a micro and macro scale.  She also explores the limits of the written word and the difficulties in communicating trauma.  Smith holds a BA in studio art and film from Oglethorpe  [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oglethorpe_University]University and an MFA in Design & Technology from the Parsons New School for Design

Sadie Barnette (1984- ) is an American artist who works primarily with drawing, photography, and installation. Much of her work traces familial history and its mirror to largely American histories. This is evident in her project around her father's experience being survived by the FBI due to his involvement in the Black Panther Party. For Barnette history is something to be activated through research and the archives, illuminating oppressive legacies practiced in the United States.  Barnette received her BFA from the California Institute of the Arts in 2006 and her MFA from the University of California, San Diego in 2012.

Sam Gilliam (1933-2022) was an American Postwar artist celebrated for his techniques in Color Field painting. One of his most recognizable innovations was his Drape sculpture paintings. These were works that existed beyond the boundaries of a canvas. This gave each work its own unique life and body. His dynamic and experimental approach to color and form has solidified his place as a pivotal figure in the evolution of contemporary art.  Gilliam received both his bachelor's and master's in painting from the University of Louisville in 1955 and in 1961 respectively. 

Samuel Fosso (1962- ) is a Cameroonian-born Nigerian photographer who works primarily in the Central African Republic. Fosso picked up photography as a young man, starting his studio at 13. Eventually, he turned the camera on himself and began the self-portraiture practice for which he is best known.  These early works highlight Fosso's interest in presentation and play. As his practice developed, he explored a growing interest in power and Black visual sovereignty and its manifestations via photography. 

Samuel Levi Jones (1978- ) is an artist based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jone's work investigates systems of power and oppression through painting and assemblage. A material he uses as part of his part is law books. These allow him to engage directly with primary source material and documentary practices, as vestibules of political and social power.  Jones investigates themes of manipulation and the rejection of authority through his work.  Jones received a BA in communications studies from Taylor University and a BFA in photography from Herron School of Art and Design in 2009. He also received an MFA in Studio Art from Mills College in 2012.

Sanford Biggers (1970- ) is an American visual artist based in Harlem, New York. Biggers' work incorporates found objects, vintage fabrics, and historical artifacts, adding layers of meaning and symbolism to his creations. Additionally, he works in print, film, and sculpture. He frequently repurposes these materials to challenge conventional narratives and provide new perspectives on complex issues. Always topical, he focuses on contemporary social, political, and racial discourse. His references can be as varied as Underground Railroad to police brutality.  Biggers received a BA from Morehouse College and an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He attended Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in 1998. 

Sasha Huber (1975- ) is a visual artist of Swiss-Haitian heritage based in Helsinki, Finland. One of the significant influences on her artistic practice has been her collaboration with the Swiss-Haitian historian and activist Jean Casimir, who has researched the history of Josephine Bonaparte and her connection to Haiti. This collaboration led to the "Demounting Louis Agassiz" project, which explores the legacy of the Swiss naturalist, glaciologist and Louis Agassiz, a Harvard University Professor, known as a racist and proponent of scientific racism that advanced the false theory of hierarchy of intelligence existed among different racial groups, which emboldened the resolve of many pro-slavery white Americans to maintain slavery. Though photography, film, performance work Huber explores the lasting effects of colonialism on society. Colonialism's effect on the environment is of particular interest to her.  She has her MA in visual culture from Aalto University in Helsinki and is currently pursuing a practice-based PhD in artistic research at Zurich University of the Arts

Sekai Machache (1989- ) is a Zimbabwean-Scottish photographer and performer. She also creates works on paper. Machache is interested in imagination and dreams. Her work teases out the role of the artist in developing liminal experiences for healing.  She received a degree from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Dundee, Scotland, in 2012.