The Power of Black Portraiture with Gordon Shadrach

In the history of fine art, portraiture has been used to assert power and imply permanence. The tradition of the art form, mostly confined to the upper classes, tended to exclude or misrepresent Black people, who almost exclusively appeared as domestic servants when they appeared at all. Today we have entered a new paradigm, in which Black artists have the latitude to paint their own counter-narratives, articulating their own individualities and complexities — representing themselves on their own terms.

In this panel discussion, visual artist (and longtime friend of the Nia Centre) Gordon Shadrach will be discussing the importance of Black portraiture, integrating Black artists into the arts landscape, and the course of his fascinating artistic journey. As a jurist for this year’s Kingston Prize, he’ll also be sharing valuable insights into how you should prepare to apply to the biennial Canadian portrait competition, which grants one Canadian artist a prize of $25,000 and two Honourable Mention awards of $3,000 each.

About the Artist

Born and raised in Brampton, Ontario, Gordon Shadrach has lived and worked in Toronto for over 25 years. He started painting in 2013 primarily in oil on wood or canvas and in 2020, he returned to his original field of study (textiles) by exhibiting textile-based installation pieces. Shadrach has exhibited in solo and group art shows in Canada, the United States and The Bahamas. In 2022, Shadrach was the lead artist and co-curator of Dis/Mantle, an immersive installation at the Spadina Museum, as part of the City of Toronto’s Awakenings program. His work appears in notable collections such as the Wedge Collection, The Wright Collection, CCH Pounder, The Agnes Etherington Art Centre, the City of Toronto and the Art Gallery of Hamilton.