Justin Tyler Bryant

JUSTIN TYLER BRYANT

Little Rock, AR

Justin Tyler Bryant’s artist statement begins with the title “That Survival Apparatus.” That is a powerful and poignant point of entry to his work. Going on to share that Maya Angeolou’s poem “Mask” is his lens to explore black “fugility, improvisation, and negotiation” his language of creating loose or unfinished yet complete images of Black people in space is a reflection of a particular reality. His performance, paintings and prints speak to history, poeticism, and the almost nebulous affects that place, exclusionary politics, and framing oneself in that context.

Bryant’s landscapes are an extension of this practice of framing. Our identities are inextricably tied to place. Tyler’s tiny location-based paintings are a segment of a larger environment; a fragment of a story, which can have a significant impact on our existence and definition of self.

The four works included in this exhibition were created specifically for And We Went, highlighting four different Baton Rouge locations. As he explains, “The significance of these places isn’t entirely clear as they could be the site where citizens lost their life, enjoyed a swim, or met for protest.”