Artist Spotlight: Stunning Photorealistic Paintings by Calida Rawles

On View:

#SVLA1 Screen at the Courtyard Marriott

901 W. Olympic Blvd. – Los Angeles, CA

Playing every 5 minutes from June 29th - July 12th

StandardVision’s latest artist spotlight features a series of ethereal photorealistic paintings of Black bodies immersed in water by Los Angeles-based artist Calida Rawles. Through her serene and stunning body of work, Rawles explores and reimagines historical and symbolic interpretations of beauty, power, race, and spirituality. 

StandardVision's spotlight on Rawles work features the following pieces:

"The Space in Which We Travel"

For Rawles, “The Space in Which We Travel” is a reminder that we are not alone. We move through this world with some “partner," and that partner can be a lover, a family member, a friend, or even a higher spirit.

"Reflecting My Grace" and "Radiating My Sovereignty"

Together “Reflecting My Grace” and “Radiating my Sovereignty”  address sisterhood, colorism, and the bonds between us. Alone they stand tall in their individual glory. 

"North and Penn (For Freddie Gray)"

The last piece Rawles chose was “North and Penn ( For Freddie Gray)." Says Rawles, "The turbulent waters in this piece reflect the energy and riots in Baltimore city after the needless death of Freddie Gray. As the names of police violence victims grow so does our frustration and pain."

In a writeup with Culturedmag, Rawles mentions regarding the duplicitous state of water in her work, “You take the waves as they come. I think of that as just a state of being. There’s a beauty and a balance in accepting that life has negative and positive elements—in accepting change.”

You can catch Rawles’ work on the SVLA1 screen through July 12th, as well as on her Instagram here.