Above: Viradescent Lure (izzakko, 2022)

How black artists in Web3 are celebrating Juneteenth

Black artists on SuperRare reflect on Juneteenth and shine a spotlight on artists they think deserve recognition.

Jun 19, 2022 Art

2 years ago

Juneteenth only became a federal holiday in 2021, but African Americans have celebrated it since June 19, 1865, when the southern rebellion collapsed in Galveston, Texas, two years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation freeing all slaves within Confederate states. It marks a pivotal moment in American history.

To celebrate Juneteenth this year, we’ve asked Black American artists on SuperRare for their reflections on what this historial holiday means to them and how they are celebrating it.

Diana Sinclair and Isaac “Drift” Wright are commemorating Juneteenth by curating the second edition of The Digital Diaspora which will be held at Samsung 837 in New York. This is the first event of its kind and scale celebrating the enduring achievements of Black artists in Web3 and the art world at large. For them, The Digital Diaspora is as much about representation as it is about celebration. They want to ensure that Black artists are visible in Web3 and that their contributions to its burgeoning culture are cemented on the blockchain.

A home for my Ancestors (Isaac Wright, 2021)

For Peenpoon, it is important that we further the spirit of Juneteenth in Web3, shedding light on systemic injustices that affect Black artists in the space and making room for them to thrive. V01D, the DAO he co-founded with Akai Morton and Lauren Washington is hosting Lucid Futures on Juneteenth at LUME Studios in New York. Lucid Futures is a transcendent celebration of the past, the present, and a future they are actively manifesting as a DAO.

Both The Digital Diaspora and Lucid Futures make the statement that Black artists, despite being a minority in Web3, have managed to establish cultural resonance by using their platforms to amplify each other and by leveraging blockchain technology to cement their importance in the story of the NFT art movement. For Yosnier, Black artists in Web3 know how significant their voices are in this space and how to use them to champion each other everyday, but especially on a historic day like Juneteenth.

Understanding Freedom (Yosnier, 2021)

For other Black artists, Juneteenth is about remembering to claim space in the world to be unabashedly oneself. Izz wants Black artists to continue bringing their authentic selves to Web3, and much like Luz, to remember how much the Black community across generations has had to overcome to make this a reality for this generation. That being said, Terrell doesn’t want Black creatives to lose sight of the joy Juneteenth brings and reminds them to celebrate in good company.

We also asked Diana, Drift, Peenpoon, Yosnier, Izz, Luz, and Terrell about their insights into other talented web3 artists who also deserve the spotlight today. Here are their recommendations:

Latashá

Curator’s pick and recommended by Luz

All I ever knew (Latashá, 2022)

“Latashá is a powerhouse creative that, in my opinion, has single-handedly added value and popularity to the music-NFT space like no other artist I’ve seen. It’s inspiring to see so much happening in web3 as a result of her efforts and I’m truly inspired every time I see one of her various drops sell out on all platforms (purrr💅🏾). I think that she would bring a whole new level of creativity (musically) to SuperRare.”

– Luz

Niall Ashley

Recommended by Diana Sinclair and Isaac “Drift” Wright

Femme Queen (Niall Ashely, 2022)

“Niall Ashley is amongst the most talented and hardworking artists in the space. They’ve worked to teach themselves countless skills in order to build out the world they envision in their mind. Their work is endlessly expansive and they are a personal inspiration to me when it comes to pushing personal boundaries and comfort levels.”

– Diana Sinclair

Bobbi Cai

Recommended by Peenpoon

Chronic (Bobbi Cai, 2022)

“Bobbi is an extremely talented queer black artist and one of the most emotionally honest artists out there. Her work speaks to that.”

– Peenpoon

Rozwell

Recommended by Izz

015 (Rozwell, 2022)

“Rozwell is a major inspiration to me. He’s worked with many artists and musicians that thousands of people look up to today and has been consistent. He has heart, integrity, and a passion that transcend web3.”

— Izz

Theo Manifesto

Recommended by Yosnier

Untitled (Theo Manifesto, 2022)

“What I love most about Theo’s work is how emotive it can be, in so many ways. There is this sense of loneliness and abandonment that lingers throughout their work that just resonates with me completely. I think Theo might be one of the few artists to have ever genuinely inspired me, and I think they could serve the same purpose for so many other people, not just in Web3, but all over the world. They’re seriously one of my favorite artists and it’s been a complete pleasure watching them bloom.”

– Yosnier

Goliath

Recommended by Terrell

Rose Golden (Goliath, 2022)

“Goliath is a friend I made early in this space, before I ever made a sale. I knew about his art before I knew him so it was cool to meet him and see that the quality of person matched the quality of work. He’s someone that I have always and will always look to for inspiration. Goliath’s work is beyond amazing. The way he uses colors, concepts, and compositions is unreal. He’s one of my favorite artists.”

– Terrell