One beautiful Saturday , I was in Miami, Florida, checking out the art scene around the Wynwood area and after exploring the walls I bumped into a small gallery on the side which was showcasing Alirio Palacio’s work.
I was drawn to his work because Black women are the core subject matter. At the middle of the gallery is this piece of a black women, semi naked covered only by slave cloth. Which took my eye immediately. Black women slaves experienced rape, oppression and being deliberately set aside so I get personally excited when we are the center of any storyline.
This wooden portrait reminded me of how black women are using their hands to run their communities, pick fruit, nurture and praise which is genuinely the glue that holds black communities together. In South Africa a lot of the ladies are part of societies, where they save together, and go hikes & holiday’s or even do festive season bonuses for each other.
He also spends time challenging the conventional role of a black women in a typical European household. In these next two paintings she is the center with a range of different faces acknowledging her accession whist others spiting at her glory. This is the story of most black women.
What’s interesting is that in the first image her halo is white & round and all those in white are ascending into the sky while the trumpet plays. In the second image her halo is fiery red with those associated with that ascending towards a light in the solid ceiling. There is also a commentary on religion if you consider the devil & angel images.
I appreciated the message, I didn’t expect to see that in America on a random Saturday . I went on to learn more about the artists background & references, which put a lot of his work into better context for me.
“Alirio Palacios, was born in Volcán, near Tucupita, state of Delta Amacuro, Venezuela, in 1938. His prolific catalog includes drawing, etching—he is acknowledged as one of the major exponents of this art in his country—painting and sculpture” – Ascasa Gallery
