We Are Here: Visionaries of Color Transforming the Art World

by Jasmin Hernandez, Swizz Beatz (Foreword by), Sunny Leerasanthanah (Photographer), Jasmine Durhal (Photographer)

Overview

Profiles and portraits of 50 artists and art entrepreneurs challenging the status quo in the art world

Confidently curated by Jasmin Hernandez, the dynamic founder of Gallery Gurls, We Are Here presents the bold and nuanced work of Black and Brown visionaries transforming the art world. Centering BIPOC, with a particular focus on queer, trans, nonbinary, and BIWOC, this collection features fifty of the most influential voices in New York, Los Angeles, and beyond. Striking photography of art, creative spaces, materials, and the subjects themselves is paired with intimate interviews that engage with each artist and influencer, delving into their creative process and unpacking how each subject actively works to create a more radically inclusive world across the entire art ecosystem. A celebration of compelling intergenerational creatives making their mark, We Are Here shows a path for all who seek to see themselves in art and culture. #weareherebook

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419747595
Publisher:	Abrams
Publication date:	02/02/2021
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	1,069,265
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Jasmin Hernandez is the founder and editor in chief of Gallery Gurls. Her writing has appeared in Harper’s Bazaar, Paper, Bustle, Elle, The Cut, Artnet, and more. She is a native New Yorker born to Dominican parents, based in Harlem, New York City.

Editorial Reviews

A stunning collection of voices and visionaries, We Are Here is a delightful and deep discovery of artists we should get to know better.

artist and filmmaker - Numa Perrier

Highlighting a collection of our most talented Black and Brown creatives to date, this book is a brilliant documentation of what is happening inside the artist studio. Jasmin insists that we pay attention because history is in the making, and We Are Here is the visual manifesto declaring that we are here to stay!

contemporary artist - Amy Sherald

Here in vibrant photographs and the words of the artists, curators, gallerists, and cultural instigators themselves are profiles of 50 of today's vital creative forces—or 51, counting Jasmin Hernandez herself. They are indeed here, and we can all be grateful for it.

director and chief curator of The Studio Museum in Harlem - Thelma Golden

A feast for the eyes and soul, Jasmin Hernandez has curated a mélange of visionary artists and creatives who are redefining contemporary art. And in doing so, she’s providing a necessary compendium that will awaken your senses, enlighten your mind, and nourish your spirit.

Co-Creator & Executive Producer of FX's POSE - Steven Canals

"Flipping through Jasmin Hernandez's We Are Here is like going to an old school salon filled with the greatest artistic minds of a generation…This is a book and these are artists that everyone should have in their home immediately."

playwright - Jeremy O. Harris

Highlighting a collection of our most talented Black and Brown creatives to date, this book is a brilliant documentation of what is happening inside the artist studio. Jasmin insists that we pay attention because history is in the making, and We Are Here is the visual manifesto declaring that we are here to stay!”—Amy Sherald, contemporary artist

“Here in vibrant photographs and the words of the artists, curators, gallerists, and cultural instigators themselves are profiles of 50 of today's vital creative forces—or 51, counting Jasmin Hernandez herself. They are indeed here, and we can all be grateful for it.”—Thelma Golden, director and chief curator of The Studio Museum in Harlem

“A feast for the eyes and soul, Jasmin Hernandez has curated a mélange of visionary artists and creatives who are redefining contemporary art. And in doing so, she’s providing a necessary compendium that will awaken your senses, enlighten your mind, and nourish your spirit.”—Steven Canals, Co-Creator & Executive Producer of FX's POSE

“A stunning collection of voices and visionaries, We Are Here is a delightful and deep discovery of artists we should get to know better.”—Numa Perrier, artist and filmmaker

"Flipping through Jasmin Hernandez's We Are Here is like going to an old school salon filled with the greatest artistic minds of a generation…This is a book and these are artists that everyone should have in their home immediately."—Jeremy O. Harris, playwright

From the Publisher

03/01/2021

Gallery Gurls founder Hernandez has been writing about the art world of "womxn, BIPOC, as well as QTPOC [Queer and Trans People of Color]" for a decade. She uses social media, blog posts, real-life studio visits, and gallery openings to cultivate this network. Here she introduces 50 artists, cultural curators, and entrepreneurs, each profiled with photographs and a brief interview. Hernandez is not an art historian, nor does she seek to place this work in the context of a traditional Western-European canon. Rather, her interviews serve to illuminate the artists' paths and inspire others. The profiles focus on how art came into the life of each artist, how they used the internet and social media to develop their careers, and what they imagine as the best future for art. The volume is richly illustrated with colorful, vibrant photographs of the creators and the art-filled spaces where they make their work. VERDICT This is a timely topic presented in an accessible way, sure to be welcomed by art enthusiasts of all ages.—Nancy B. Turner, Temple Univ. Lib., Philadelphia

Library Journal