JOSIAH JAMISON Hyper-Visibility | Oil, silver leaf | 2021

“My work revolves around the representation of black and brown bodies in America. Being Black and physically visible, in that we
are different from our white counterparts, is something most people of color have faced in their lives. Being visible yet simultaneously
invisible - overlooked and disregarded - and being separate from white America is something many black people are hyper-aware of.
I use contrasting flat black surfaces and reflective surfaces to shed light on this intersectional invisibility, challenging the viewer‘s
attention to see what is there and what is not. The use of portraiture and nontraditional material in oil painting allows me to explore
these ideas, while also revealing an experience that all people of color have gone through.”

-Josiah Jamison

Josiah Jamison is a contemporary realist painter who lives and works in Columbus, Ohio. They are currently completing their
Bachelor‘s Degree in Fine Art with a distinction in Painting at Columbus College of Art & Design. Their paintings, in their purest form,
are love letters to underrepresented voices. They paint with the intent to cherish and record black and brown people‘s personal
experiences and cultural practices. Through their art, they engage in the representation of black and brown bodies in America,
cataloging the practices, traditions, and social experiences to celebrate and commemorate their contributions to the world.

Their work comes from the need to push against this lack of representation. From a young age, Jamison had a hard time finding
themselves in their own identity. Their experiences revolving around The Black Lives Matter movement have put into perspective
what they value and cherish in life; interpersonal experiences and relationships. With recent years of self-discovery, they found
that in order to understand yourself properly, you must see the world around you and recognize your part in it. From this, they
would build the world they want to live in through painting. After completing their Bachelors, Jamison intends to pursue a
Master‘s Degree in Fine Art to inspire and help empower the next generation of black and brown artists.