The Power Of Buying Black // Domonique Brown
“To be a poor man is hard, but to be a poor race in a land of dollars is the very bottom of hardships.” - W.E.B. Du Bois. It is no secret that Black people make the world go round, from their spending power to their artistry. Yet the question still remains: Why aren't Black people benefitting from the fruits of their labor and talents? Multimedia Artist & TrailBlazer Domonique Brown, has done us the honor of gracing us with an in-depth piece on the inequalities Black artists face in the "Buy Black" movement.
The Buy Black movement is still displaying durability since its re-emergence in 2020, by opening more doors and fueling sales for Black artists in Corporate America.
Following the death of George Floyd in May 2020, companies have utilized Black artists more than ever. It is not out of compassion. The Black spending power in the United States is over one trillion dollars annually. Gen Z consumers are leading the movement for more mission-driven companies pushing for inclusion, equality, and environmental change.
As a Black artist, I have been troubled by the lack of Black art in museums, art galleries, and stores. The lack of diversity, left me questioning if I was making the right decision as an artist to be drawing people that resembled myself because I did not see sufficient space for it. It is not okay that I walk into art galleries and museums and say “Oh, they have an artwork by a Black artist in here!” There has always been a lack of diversity and inclusion.
Growing up, I remember my dad driving across town to visit the local Hallmark to get a greeting card that featured Black people. It was hard to find products that were for “you.”
The attention surrounding the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor brought a lot of opportunities for Black artists. Corporate America wanted to champion Black art. Along with other Black artists, I have been able to contribute my voice and my art to push for representation.
The buzzword, “Black” is trendy in marketing and boardrooms now. This word provides space for Black people to tell and sell our stories, but is there a cost to it? Is Corporate America feeling pressure to push for inclusion? Or, is there genuine support for our work? Time will tell.
No matter the motive, there is a huge want for Black creatives. On the contrary, I still wonder how long this moment will last. I hope it is not a trend that is about to fade. I think back to when President Obama was re-elected president in 2012 during my Sophomore year of college. I felt this was a moment of opportunity for Black creatives to push the conversation for equality in this country. I couldn’t fully enjoy graduating with my Bachelor’s when Donald Trump was elected. His presidency highlighted the centuries of racism and crimes against Black people in the United States that are still prevalent today. Now that Joe Biden is President, and Kamala Harris, our first Black and Asian Vice President, is in office, I feel a sense of healing, but I hope it does not reduce the demand for Black voices and ideas.
As a Black artist, what do I do with this opportunity to have a voice that could be temporary? I am going to seize this moment. My main focus is being able to bring representation to the table. I am going to try my hardest to keep this window open because I think about the young Domonique walking around in art galleries and stores wondering why the artwork didn't look like me. I am trying to hold the window open for people of all ages who are still struggling to find art that represents them.
Like many others, I am tired of the erasure of Black people from art history through a lack of presence in museums, galleries, stores, and art history curricula. It is bad enough there is an absence of minority figures in the art pieces themselves, but Black artists, too. Black art is not rare and Black artists are not less talented, but Black art is absent. Take a walk through any major art museum, such as the MoMA in New York. To the naked eye, it seems that Black people were not making art centuries ago or even played a role in history, but it is not true.
It’s important for Black people to know their history; understand their worth, see themselves in art, and know the true contributions Black people have made to society.
Thank you, Domonique for this beautiful and necessary piece. To purchase Domonique’s artistry, and support her along her journey, continue to scroll.
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