Art Quote by Kerry James Marshall
“My first black-on-black picture was 'The Portrait of an Artist as a Shadow of His Former Self.' I started using it as an emblem of this undercurrent of wickedness, malevolence, and irony - all of that.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Art Talk, 2015
The painting symbolizes personal darkness and irony, reflecting societal wickedness and malevolence.
In simple terms: Art can expose hidden evil.
Key Takeaway
Use art to confront societal flaws.
Themes
art
identity
social critique
Mood
thoughtful
provocative
Type
artistic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- gallery exhibitions
- public murals
- educational workshops
- community projects
Key Concepts
visual arts
post‑modernism
irony
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the shadow self represent in your life?
- How can irony be used responsibly in activism?
A Different Perspective
Interpretations may vary, risking misreadings of intent.
![“You can describe [Portrait of the Artist as a Shadow of His Former Self] as a manifesto of sorts. I saw it as a pivotal turn, a work that really led me down the avenues that brought me to where I am. That picture was the vehicle that helped me clarify a lot of things and I began to understand that…” quote by Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d6b/kerry-james-marshall-5157_art_you-can-describe-portrait-of-the-artist_1969257.jpg)
![“[My picture A Portrait of the Artist as a Shadow of His Former Self ] was a way of demonstrating that there was a broad range of possibilities and fairly unlimited utility for a black figure that didn't have to comprise its blackness in order to preserve a place in the field of representation.” quote by Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b2d/kerry-james-marshall-5157_art_my-picture-a-portrait-of-the-artist-as-a_2641070.jpg)
![“I want people to understand that this is a very calibrated image [Portrait of the Artist as a Shadow of His Former Self ], where point by point, very little is left to chance.” quote by Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/970/kerry-james-marshall-5157_art_i-want-people-to-understand-that-this-is_2009456.jpg)
![“If you look at the image [ Portrait of the Artist as a Shadow of His Former Self ], it treads on a kind of popular stereotypical image of the black figure, in both its flatness and slightly comic edge. To take that image as a starting point and to render it in a proto-classical medium, like egg…” quote by Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/584/kerry-james-marshall-5157_art_if-you-look-at-the-image-portrait-of-the_829024.jpg)
![“In [Ralph] Ellison's case, it's more psychological than it is phenomenal, and it's conditioned by anger, animosity, and lack of desire to engage with the black body. There was always simultaneity that had nothing to do with visuality. You can be there and not be there at the same time and be fully…” quote by Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a13/kerry-james-marshall-5157_animosity_in-ralph-ellison-s-case-it-s-more-psycho_338598.jpg)
