Curry’s Black Icons Inspire Growth, Change, Conversation in NAAM’s Showcase
Myron Curry holds an exhibition featuring a grand series of notable Black icons at the Northwest African American Museum. At the exhibition, Curry discussed his vision for his art.
Curry painted iconic musicians from Jimi Hendrix to civil rights activists James Baldwin, Michelle and Barack Obama, John Lewis, and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Curry titles his show Where Do We Go From Here—prodding conversation about how we continue to fight and move forward as agents of change.
I asked Curry how the people in his portraits answer the question posed by his show. “We keep fighting. We keep supporting,” Curry answered.
Curry’s portraits are surreal works of endless effort and intention with a rainbow of deep and loud colors. Subtle gradients of shade show his expertise and ease in blending with acrylic. The way light hits each of his subjects allows Curry to further play with a variety of ethereal colors, balancing a duality of realism with an illusory dream.
“Fed Up! BLM” by Myron Curry. 2020.
The Evergreen Echo
Abstract backgrounds toy with psychedelic sentiments and make the viewer focus on the subject’s action: orating a monumental speech, laughing in between kisses, or racing down the streets. Some portraits feature the local BLM protests and the Space Needle, giving a glimmer into Curry’s Seattle pride.
Curry’s James Baldwin contours the subject in color. In purplish skin, Baldwin stares intently at the viewer asking: “What do you think?” A range of neon lights highlight his skin. His Tiffany blue trench coat is untainted from the psychotropic hues.
In a portrait of John Lewis, Lewis is depicted giving the opening speech for the 2019 “Rosa Parks: In Her Own Words” exhibition at the Library of Congress. His hands are folded atop a podium overlooking the audience wearing a blue patterned tie and suit. In the speech, Lewis said "[Rosa Parks] inspired us to find a way, to get in the way, to get in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble.” This trouble and change is exactly what Curry wants to support.
“No matter your background, you have a voice,” Curry argues. And his voice grows louder through each of his community-centric works. His art grows hope and implores us to continue exercising the civic duties these prominent figures were known to practice.
While Curry owns a gallery in Downtown Seattle and his shows are of acrylic on canvas, he favors murals due to their community accessibility. His completed murals can be seen in 26 different locations across Western Washington.
When he is commissioned for mural work and searches for concepts, he includes the perspectives and input from those nearby: the school down the street, neighbors around the park, and the homeless person who may be sleeping in the bushes. Curry’s murals center the community, not just the client.
Asking the appreciators—beyond those who have paid—what they seek from the work strengthens the mural's community impact. Simply asking validates the power every voice has in crafting the betterment and development of society.
From Curry’s engagement with neighborhood locals, he painted vivid airplanes, dogs, a gorilla, and the honorable human icons present in this exhibition.
“MLK Never Give Up!” by Myron Curry. 2024.
The Evergreen Echo
Where Do We Go From Here is a dream come true for Curry. There, he has seen how his art has brought people together from all walks of life:
“All the people were talking to each other. The art brought them together [to] where they were having conversations. They were all looking at a human being. And that’s how I lead my life, how I [put] my next foot forward.”
Curry’s focus on art accessibility extends beyond his murals, past his equitable pricing for commissioned artworks, and into the practice of how he curates artists for his gallery. The artists he showcases may not have the most exposure, but Curry wants to be a supporter for them and be able to share stories of their excelling in their art careers.
In a last question, Curry gave advice for growing artists in the Seattle market:
“Be open to the people that want to support you. Don’t worry about who ain’t showing up. Enjoy and appreciate and work with the people who do show up, and that will grow larger. If you’re just trying to please a certain people and you don’t really like doing it— once you start getting what you’re looking for, it’ll be a job—because you don’t like doing it in the first place.”
