Queen Chanelle Martina "Don't Call Me Black"

Queen Chanelle Martina "Don't Call Me Black"This is my 3rd time painting my beautiful daughter. First time a self portrait when she turned 18. About 4 years ago, I got asked to do Art Basel in Miami. I painted her again in front of an American Flag. This time I painted her face half black and white like a Zebra and the other half her pigments of brown she has. With a distinct red mark down the middle of her face representing our blood to really show through colors of paint. There is no such

This is my 3rd time painting my beautiful daughter. First time a self portrait when she turned 18. About 4 years ago, I got asked to do Art Basel in Miami. I painted her again in front of an American Flag. This time I painted her face half black and white like a Zebra and the other half her pigments of brown she has. With a distinct red mark down the middle of her face representing our blood to really show through colors of paint. There is no such thing as a Black Human or a White Human. I challenge you to think about your travels and life and all you have seen on TV. Have you ever seen a black human or white human? I think not! If such humans existed we would look more like Zebras and less like pigments of skin tones derived from the darkest brown skin tone in Africa.

My daughter will always be my muse.She represents true beauty in my eyes. Not just how she looks, but for the human she is. She is half Mayan Indian and half Liberian. She has royalty in her DNA . To be made from half Mayan blood and African blood is a gift only God could have made. After all she was destined for greatness. Only in America could a Mayan Teenage girl fall in love with a Teenage boy from Africa and create such pure art. My daughter will always be the best masterpiece I have ever
created. For this piece I wanted to make her a conversation piece. I started off with a square canvas. I then cut out her silhouette . I wanted to create a universe behind her . Due to my own unique upbringing I was adopted by white parents. These white parents became her grandparents. She had a mother adopted from Guatemala and a Father from Liberia. She has an aunt from El Salvador and has grown up with all sorts of friends from all backgrounds. I used our life experiences as inspiration to create this piece. After painting her on square canvas I cut her out and put her on wood with a saw machine. Behind her I painted the pigments of humans with red lines in between representing blood. With the words saying “WE ARE ONE” The other piece behind her is all black representing the Universe. With camouflaged wordS saying ‘WE ARE ONE. Behind that piece of wood is a heart with different skin pigments. This represents our human heart. Between painting, gluing down the canvas, and using a saw machine to cut out her silhouette this is how this piece was made. With a hand made wooden foundation to hold the pieces in place. I would like to thank Dave Simms from my building Lynn Arts who helped me make what people first said a crazy idea to this k4 piece masterpiece installation.

Mediums| Canvas/Acrylic/Wood/SprayPaint/Epoxy

Prints available in brushed aluminum
Dimensions: 30"x30" and 40"x40"