Sarah Knights

‘Confinement’ at a personal level, speaks to self-reflection, and introspection; a rediscovery of the importance of friends, family and good health.

The idea of ‘healing’ has thus become the main theme throughout my paintings where I am examining ‘self’ both at a personal level and in a wider context against the various issues that have been occurring locally and abroad, during this year 2020 (amidst the COVID-19 pandemic).

My imagery is literal and symbolic;  the philodendron and the aloe vera plant are both important symbols used throughout my paintings (Apple Tree, 2020; Pink Philodendron, 2020) to represent rebirth, healing and love. The authority of the police is in the forefront ensuring that the law of the land is upheld (no large gatherings, COVID parties, or unnecessary movement).

The many protests worldwide for equality during this year: George Floyd, Covid 19, the issues at home including  politics, racism, classism etc. had me thinking  about the Harlem Renaissance, Red Summer, Forty Acres and a Mule, Jim Crow laws, Slavery,  confinement, healing etc. 

The dancers in my paintings borrow the postures of  the Harlem Renaissance dancers, a time period that also had draconian measures put in place, prohibiting African Americans from really enjoying freedom that the American Constitution  had promised. However, despite this, the 1920s saw a rebirth of black creativity and cultural  pride.

Bio

In 2008 Sarah Knights graduated with an associate degree in Visual Communications from The John S. Donaldson Technical Institute. She later pursued a bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts at the University of the West Indies. Her formal training at the UWI helped her to use art as a means of self-expression and healing.  

After graduating Knights began working on a body of mixed media paintings using herself as the main subject to discuss issues of identity with women in  modern societies. Her paintings reflect both the present and the past and investigates racism, feminism, beauty and religion influenced by western media and popular culture.