Kim Bjanes

I was very interested in Kim Bjanes' approach to art. It is unusual for an artist to focus on apparel in the way she does, and I think that reflects her interest in spreading her message outside the gallery or museum space and into the world. On T-shirs, her art can take on lives of its own in many different contexts, presenting variations of its central message depending on who wears it. It's inspiring that Bjanes used negativity she experiencing growing up regarding her hair and ethnicity to create art that could empower other brown women with curly hair, and that she paid special attention to her own privilege as a light skinned Latina and how she could lift up those with darker skin. Bjanes' work says a lot about the value of democratizing one's artistic practice in a way that is accessible to those who do not regularly visit galleries or museums, and how social media can be a powerful tool to spread political messages. The image above is one of Bjanes' shirts, which conveys the messages that brown women are badass and beautiful.