Deborah Roberts Austin, Texas, b. 1962
Huddle Masses, 2023
Acrylic, graphite, pastel, ink and collage on canvas
210 x 210 cm
82 5/8 x 82 5/8 in
82 5/8 x 82 5/8 in
© 2023 Deborah Roberts / Courtesy Fundación AMMA
Further images
A semi-profile portrait of a girl wearing a flamingo-print fabric, with her hand resting on her chest. Photographs cover her left eye and half of her mouth. Notable features include the girl's serious expression, the combination of techniques, and the work's dark tones.
Roberts’ painting engages in social commentary and critiques perceptions of ideal beauty. The artist questions stereotypes and myths, creating a dialogue around concepts of inclusion, dignity, consumerism, and subjectivity by addressing beauty through the figure of the ideal woman—Venus. By challenging the figure of Venus, the work defies the notion of universal beauty, making space for Black women who are excluded from that definition.
Roberts’ painting engages in social commentary and critiques perceptions of ideal beauty. The artist questions stereotypes and myths, creating a dialogue around concepts of inclusion, dignity, consumerism, and subjectivity by addressing beauty through the figure of the ideal woman—Venus. By challenging the figure of Venus, the work defies the notion of universal beauty, making space for Black women who are excluded from that definition.