Amy Sherald in “Everyday Icons” - Season 11 - 'Art in the Twenty-First Century' | Art21

Art21 proudly presents an artist segment, featuring Amy Sherald, from the "Everyday Icons" episode in the eleventh season of the "Art in the Twenty-First Century" series.

"Everyday Icons" premiered in April 2023 on PBS.

In her studio in New Jersey, artist Amy Sherald paints portraits that tell a story about American lives. Her face just inches away from a canvas, the artist carefully applies stroke after stroke, building her narrative through paint. “I really have this belief that images can change the world,” says Sherald, a belief she acts upon in her compelling paintings, which depict everyday people with dignity and humanity. Following the tradition of American realists like Andrew Wyeth and Edward Hopper, the artist uses her paintings to tell stories about America. Searching for models, settings, and scenarios that would convey the kinds of stories she wanted to tell, Sherald began to populate the world of her paintings with everyday people in everyday situations.

Amy Sherald was born in 1973 in Columbus, Georgia, and lives and works in New Jersey. Receiving her BA in painting from Clark Atlanta University in 1997, Sherald went on to receive her MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2004. Reflecting the complexities of representation and identity, Sherald’s paintings challenge viewers to engage with her subjects in new and profound ways, calling attention to the universal stories told through her portraits.

Learn more about the artist at:

CREDITS | Executive Producer: Tina Kukielski. Series Producer: Nick Ravich. Director & Producer: Ian Forster. Editor: Bryan Chang. Director of Photography: Jia Li.

Assistant Curator: Jurrell Lewis. Associate Producer: Andrea Chung. Design & Animation: Ryan Carl, Nikita Iziev. Composer: Andrew Orkin. Additional Vidoe Editor: Addison Post. Additional Photography: Gabriela Díaz Arp, Bria Granville, Andrew Kemp, Jane Macedo Yang. Assistant Camera: Jason Drakeford, Trevor Edwards, Oscar Harrison. Location Sound: Carver Audain, Ana Fernández, Sade Norton.

Video Post-Production Services: Cut + Measure. Video Post-Production Producer: Alex Laviola. Colorist: Chris Ramey. Video Post-Production Coordinator: Catherine DiRosa. Online & Conform: David Gauff. Additional Animation: Andy Cahill. Audio Post-Production Services: Konsonant Post. Re-Recording Mixer & Sound Editor: Gisela Fullà-Silvestre. Assistant Editors: Ellen Askey, Michelle Hanks. Audio Description: 3Play Media. Station Relations De Shields Associates. Legal Counsel: Withersworldwide. Additional Curatorial Research: Susan Thompson. Interns: Stephanie Ades, Sekou Cherif, Yeon Cho, Michaela Esteban, Emma Flood, Renee Rienecker, James Santiago, Adam Varca, Dani Wieder.

Additional Art21 Staff: Lauren Barnett, Hannah DeGarmo, Lolita Fierro, Joe Fusaro, Molaundo Jones, Emma Nordin, Anna Pruett, Jessica Svenson, Noor Tamari, Nora Wimmer.

Artwork Courtesy: Amy Sherald; Hauser & Wirth; Hopper, © 2023 Heirs of Jesphine N. Hopper / Licensed byy Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY; Wyeth, © 2023 Andrew Wyeth / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Archival Materials: ABC News, Drury Bynum, CBS Sunday Morning, Columbus State University's Bo Barlett Center, Family of Breonna Taylor, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Shine Creative, Shuttershock, Speed Art Museum, Pete Souza, WNCN.

Special Thanks: The Art21 Board of Trustees, Danielle Brock, The Columbus Museum, Sasha Hecht, High Museum of Art, Moselle Kleiner, Tamika Palmer, Devin L. Roberts, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Geraldine Sherald.

Major underwriting for Season 11 of Art in the Twenty-First Century is provided by PBS, National Endowment for the Arts, Lambent Foundation, The Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, Toby Devan Lewis, Robert Lehman Foundation, and Nion McEvoy & Leslie Berriman.

Series Creators: Susan Dowling and Susan Sollins.

©2023 Art21, Inc.

#AmySherald #EverydayIcons #Art21

[joyce]

“Don’t listen to criticism and don’t listen to praise. Just do what you do.” She’s amazing. Love her work.

[artmovies]

The key phrases of the conversation: 'Images can change the world'; 'Photography is the beginning of the painting.' Truly an ICON!

[muhlaynee]

Oh My Word!! The Kiss is stunning in person. I saw many of these pieces at Hauser & Wirth in London 2022 and they were breathtaking up close. The details in the clothing and facial expressions felt so real. With the use of the grayscale, it's like a vivid memory coming back to life.

[juanitamarshall]

I feel like your painting put a face on who we are as people. Everday day people just living our lives. Living in a society that wants to dehumanize us for convenience . I love your painting. It's like taking out the family album books. You're taking the album books outside 😊. Thanks !

[phronsiekeys]

thank you for featuring this wonderful painter -- I am thrilled for her success

[magicknight]

I love the connection between her gray scale paintings and photographs filled with life and memories. Wow. She truly is an artist of today.

[elisabetbosch]

Amazing artist. Lovely stories. So inspiring!!

[divinencounters]

She inspires me to improve my technical skills

[artgeometrix]

This is brilliant. Really awesome job
Nicely done.

[natashasherman]

Nothing inspires me more than watching an artist at work.

[markwardel]

Great work and beautiful family photographs.

[JamesHunterRoss]

Wow! What a great 15 minutes; I got introduced to an truly amazing artist. I had seen the Obama porttrait, and it blew my mind, but I didn't know anything more about the artist.

[leesvision]

Much love ❤️ 🙏, she really is able to capture emotion in the eyes. I think the grey is unique i like it, it's a sharp contrast with her choice of background colors but it goes really well with the grey style figures and over all the paintings are balanced. In short, very awesome!

[JDHGaming]

That's fantastic work. Like the skill on display is awesome 😄

[mimiseton]

Beautiful person & work. Clean, clear, and full of grace!

[abundanceuniverse]

Such a brilliant woman and a magnificent artist!!

[brendawillems]

Wauw so happy for you that you had that wonderful commission to paint Michelle! You deserve it BIG time!‼️ Your art is 💯👌🏾👏❤️‍🔥

[dogdrawer]

Outstanding feature. Thank you. Really have been moved by Amy's work over the years - they are incredible how the level is so beautiful and sing out as her images. Moved to tears at times.

[nicolesumner]

I love the variety of shots of Amy in her studio- so empowering to see the HOW of her work, the WHERE and all the TOOLS

[lightuponlight]

Amy!! Love it Love it Love it!! You are such an INSPIRATION. The new work is stunning. Thank you.