Las Vegas Valley’s black artists spotlight empathy amid national unrest

Amid protests and pandemic, black artists view works as means to foster empathy and healing

AMID COVID-19 lockdowns, Americans everywhere wondered whether unrest would result from the grave public health crisis and financial effects of prolonged time at home. But it was the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers that inspired protests in all 50 states.

Now, as the pandemic, protests and personal reflections on racism vie for our attention, black artists in the Las Vegas Valley say that we can find comfort and a stronger sense of empathy by familiarizing ourselves with the works of artists from diverse backgrounds.

“If you look at art, you think about the reasons the artist created it,” says Vicki Richardson, founder of Left of Center Art Gallery in North Las Vegas. “You gain more respect for the person and the imagery. This is a very trying time, and I think art really does have the ability to heal.”

Through paint, poetry, performance and photography, these five Las Vegas artists channel empathy by illustrating their investigations of loss, perception and beauty.

LANCE L. Smith’s interest in art originated with comic books as a child. As an adult, Smith uses paint and illustration to investigate ideas of loss, distortion and adornment.

Smith’s first exhibit focused on the artist’s mother, who passed away when Smith was young.

Smith developed small square paintings using images recalled from childhood.

Smith “investigated older photos and saw that she wore certain earrings. The paintings acknowledge that memory. As a small child, that adornment spoke to the femme that lived in me.”

In another collection, Smith took inspiration from the work of author James Baldwin and created images of animals to represent ideas of moral apathy.

Smith’s series of bighorn sheep speaks to that theme, informing the audience that, in this moment, nature is watching what we choose to do.

In creating and showing art, Smith questions the inequities of opportunity.

“Upwardly mobile cisgender white men can get inspiration anywhere. They have access to land art.” Smith says, referencing large-scale works such as “Double Negative” in which artists move and reshape the land. “They can literally move the earth. For women and people of color, it’s much harder to get that space.”

Smith says diverse artwork offers a chance for audiences to experience ideas they may not otherwise encounter.

“Good artwork is a portal,” Smith says. “You’re getting to a place where you’re learning. And that brings change.”

Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal@benjaminhphoto Las Vegas artist Lance L. Smith says diverse artwork offers a chance for audiences to experience ideas they may not otherwise encounter.

Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Lance L. Smith, who says “good artwork is a portal,” uses paint and illustration to investigate ideas of loss, distortion and adornment.

Smith was inspired by the work of author James Baldwin and created images of animals to represent ideas of moral apathy. Smith’s series of bighorn sheep speaks to that theme.