Claudette Johnson

This drawing’s gentle balance between the defining contour lines and the soft smudging of pastel makes it seem as if the woman is floating off of the sheet. A founding member of the BLK Art Group, a cohort of politically active Black British artists, Johnson consistently centers Black subjects, especially women. In this drawing, she successfully balances the negative space of the sheet and a slightly larger-than-life scale to magnify the presence of her subject, who gives the appearance of considering us as we regard her. Johnson imbues this work with a regal and magnanimous presence.