ARTIST STATEMENT
Perseverance: Recent Work by Asante Salaam
These visual interpretations of perseverance—in body, mind and spirit—began as inspired rituals of prayer, then segued into daily artistic practice, and culminated in creative collaboration.
MIXED MEDIA DRAWING: PRAYER
Pressed flower petals, layers of packing tissue paper, charcoal, graphite, ink, the inside of a flattened cardboard box, and adhesive have been melded into this peaceful mixed media drawing. Repurposed materials collected in San Diego, Salaam’s post-Katrina home, carry energy from previous use, while being reincarnated into a new creation. This piece of transparent layers was formed through a meditative process incorporating visioning, sunlight, prayer, affirmations, fresh finger canyon breezes, and burgeoning faith.
WATERCOLORS
By focusing more on drawing moments of a life than a body in action, Salaam’s earlier watercolors quietly yet viscerally combine abstract with realistic. Watercolor as a medium is fluid and permanent. In such bare paintings, there is no room for correction. So-called mistakes are embraced as part of the work. Change is only available in a new painting, and in that new painting the parts of the previous painting wanted for keeping are not recaptured in the exact same way. The later pieces were created through long distance collaboration with a writer, and are now published in a book titled Perseverance. Constraints were developed in process and over time: clothed, the same woman in different garments, water as a consistent thread, maturity, grace, lightness, surrender, mutual agreement.
FRAMED
These pieces are professionally framed in white metal high-quality frames with contemporary white matting and raised plexiglass.
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Photo: M. Francis Gallery |
PERSEVERANCE ~ The Collection (Framed)
Photos: Owen Murphy
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Let Go of the Shore 2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam |
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Taking Nothing Personally 2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam |
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Banish the Word Struggle 2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam |
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We Knew 2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam |
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For We Are the Ones 2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam |
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Prayer Vibrant 2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam |
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| Dancing Strong 2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam NOTE: The watercolor is like the figure in this drawing. Quality watercolor photo is unavailable. Request a photo if seriously interested. |
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Standing 2006/2009, Watercolor, 15” x 24”, Framed 25”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam SOLD |
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Here Is a River, Book 2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam |
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Here Is a River, Loose 2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam NOTE: The actual piece is very similar to this, yet looser, a bit larger and NOT this painting. Quality photo is unavailable. Request a photo if seriously interested. |
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Wondering 2008, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam |
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Prayer 2007, Mixed Media, 16” x 19”, Framed 26”x 30”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam |
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