In an interview with TheHub.news, groundbreaking painter Corrine Slade discusses her practice, how it relates to today’s social and political climate, and why redefining portrayals of Black women in art leads the way to a better tomorrow.
Abstract art, like many other disciplines, is a powerful medium for expressing emotion, therapeutic relief, and an appreciation for life’s beauty. It tells wonderful stories that help us to understand our culture, history and the experiences of others. But despite what was once a contentious style for Black artists, often eclipsed by the works of social realism (the art world as a whole has also remained the reflection of a dominant, white male perspective), young, Black abstract expressionists are now claiming more space than ever before.
With uncompromising innovation and creativity, these modern-day pioneers are playing a key role in fearlessly defying the traditional artistic norms of abstract art. And they have firmly cemented a place for it as an important form of imaginative expression.
Contemporary artist Corrine Slade is one of those trailblazing visionaries.
Try Googling Corrine Slade and you’ll find numerous publications describing the 25-year-old artist as an emerging young talent whose abstract paintings depict Black women in earnest spaces of comfort and support. Her subjects serve as surrogates for the viewer as she submerges them into safe spaces, free from the political, social and economic upsets that often harm Black women.
A New Jersey native, Slade grew up in Montclair, a town she describes as a “metropolitan suburb of New York City.” At just three miles long by two miles wide, it is well-known for its rich cultural diversity, meticulously preserved 18th and 19th-century architecture and deep roots in the arts. However, her passion for painting began when she was just a toddler, encouraged at home by her parents.
“I don’t think I’ve ever made a decision to become a painter. I’ve just always been a painter, not to sound pretentious,” she modestly explains. “According to my mom, I’ve been doing it since I was two [years old], meaning that I have no memory of not being a painter.”
Slade and her younger sister Cassandra were raised by their mother, Inger, a senior executive in healthcare, and their father, acclaimed jazz photographer, Kelvin Slade, two no-nonsense yet encouraging parents who always believed in not only nurturing their daughters’ inherent talents, but they would do so in an environment brimming with a global mix of literature, music, food, fashion, cinema and photography. They instilled a keen sense of self-awareness and confidence into their girls, lovingly motivating them to pursue their passions: Cassandra is currently a sociology major at Temple University in Pennsylvania and Slade herself received a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts Degree from the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2020.
“Growing up in Montclair informed my decision to become a painter. There is this idea of Montclair exceptionalism that is fostered in you as a child when you are part of the public school system there. There is certainly a lot of privilege in such an environment and I’m very grateful to have grown up in a town with its own art museum, jazz and film festivals. All of these things have contributed to me becoming a painter, knowing and believing that it is as valid of a career choice as becoming a doctor.”
The artist’s vivid, incredibly detailed work creates a connection between the degrading and exploitative influences of the natural world and how they systemically aid in the oppression and disrespectful treatment of Black women. She depicts her leading ladies of color in various locations that do not exist in real life but supplements them with true references from art history, mythology and pop culture. They are enveloped by tender touches of plants, fruits, flowers and animals, an illustrative refuge from a capitalist society’s ongoing, simultaneous abuse of the earth and of women. Slade also renders images of the moon in her work, providing a reflective, mirrored space for soul-searching and thoughtful contemplation. Although her paintings create a haven for her audience, they do not fundamentally incite political or social protest. Her work simply furnishes a “home”, one to which she also seeks as shelter for herself.
“I think that making my work can feel revolutionary on an individual level and I hope that other people can get something out of those images that carry a lot of weight for me. [But,] I don’t counter the world with my work. When I’m creating, I’m centering the things I take joy in. If I make from a place of combating what goes on around me then I’m focusing on defining myself in response to turmoil. I think it’s more fulfilling and important to make work from a place comprising images I want to see. I find that’s intrinsically a form of counterculture.”
As she looks ahead, Slade’s prospects are bright. Her recent exhibitions include Frieze Sculpture in London, in partnership with the Breeder Gallery in Greece, and at the Felix Art Fair in Los Angeles, both in 2023. Her work has also been introduced in numerous group exhibitions and features that include the Museum of Science and Industry’s Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition in Chicago, along with the DADA Gallery and Cromwell Place in London. Last year, she was also featured in an exclusive, collaborative exhibition with her father titled SLADE: A Family Affair at the South Orange Performing Arts Center in South Orange, New Jersey, where during Black History Month, the connective tissues of her paintings and his photography (both are fueled by their love for jazz) were honored and celebrated.
When the Chicago resident isn’t attending both domestic and international art engagements, you can find her creating at her art studio, nibbling on her favorite snacks (Goldfish and Lacroix are her go-to’s), listening to podcasts and blowing soap-filmed bubbles while she works. “They embody my inner child,” she impishly reveals.
They help her to quickly decompress.
Slade also looks to her favorite artists for influence and stimulation as she creates; her expansive list includes Toni Morrison, Bob Thompson, Hope Tala and Frida Kahlo.
“Artists in different fields inspire me. Each of them convey a truth and vulnerability in their art that I seek to unearth in my own work.”
Corrine Slade’s works, An Infinite Loop of Love and Sweet Solitude are available for consideration and purchase through the Breeder Gallery in Athens, Greece. All other inquiries are welcomed by her directly via her website.
