Brianna Noble is an able bodied Black, Latinx surviving in a predominantly urban white community. Their paintings serve as a reaction to the assumptions their environment enforces. That often requires rejecting what society and their family imposes. How she performs womanhood is determined solely by what they find to be fit. Noble uses the idea that sex sells, so the viewers will be driven to look, then adds words so they will be driven to read, and be given more information to understand that women are human, not just objects for consumption. In turn, Noble hopes that the next person with similar decisions to make can find the familiarity to do so on their terms too.
Published on July 20th 2020. Artist responses collected in months previous.
What projects are you working on right now?
My previous work was emotionally draining, it served the purpose of picking apart my body and its functions. The [paintings] featured my own body and brought attention to societal norms that don't serve anyone but the white gaze. That gaze is violent and must be torn down. I am currently working on a series that is meant to be gentle and healing- for me. As always, I hope it is useful for others that are also Black femmes, really anyone Black. The body of work will be titled, Single White Female. It is meant to be a look at what it must feel like to be free and whole without outside forces dictating life. A glimpse into the idea that one could exist in the way they choose without guilt or pressure to conform.
How do you keep yourself accountable in your practice?
I know I cannot possibly speak on every experience, or even represent them. I keep myself accountable by pushing myself to open up space for more. I am always thinking of, "what could make this better?", "is this helpful?", "who is this really for?", "is the point of this clear?". I am able-bodied, skinny, pretty, young, socially palatable (palatable = not the common misconception of a black person). I have so many privileges so I have the responsibility to use my art as a voice for those that are consistently pushed aside. It is my job to remain forward in my work, if I am not doing that then I am helping no one, not even myself.
How do you stay motivated to pursue your creative work?
I live by the quote by Nina Simone, "An artist's duty, as far as I'm concerned, is to reflect the times." Anytime I start a new sketchbook, I write that quote on the first page; that is what I am here to do. I want to give light to what is currently going on around me, what has always been going on. This is in hopes that before my time is up that it will only reflect this current time and no longer be relevant to the people of the future. As for now, this world is constantly providing new ideas, so it is a consistent motivator to keep up with.
Where do you hope to be 10 years from now and what would you like to say to yourself?
In 10 years, I hope I will be surviving off of my art. I hope to own a space where my studio isn't inside my house and I can separate the two. I hope I will be able to hire someone, maybe even a team to work with me and be able to provide for them. The ultimate goal is to have made work that is profitable enough that it can be left to my nieces and nephews. I guess that means, I will be on the path of creating generational wealth. I would say to myself, "I hope I make you proud. I forgive you if you've strayed, I know your heart was in the right place and you always do what you need to survive."
What are your feelings about participating in a project like this?
I have not heard of a project that kept up with artists and especially not for 10 years. I am excited to see where I am now in comparison to where I'll be in a decade. It feels like the ultimate way to be held accountable for creating. I will have a yearly check-in that will make sure that I am staying true to myself and my work. I have to make sure I don't give up on myself and am constantly setting and achieving goals.
Published on July 20th 2020. Artist responses collected in months previous.
What projects are you working on right now?
My previous work was emotionally draining, it served the purpose of picking apart my body and its functions. The [paintings] featured my own body and brought attention to societal norms that don't serve anyone but the white gaze. That gaze is violent and must be torn down. I am currently working on a series that is meant to be gentle and healing- for me. As always, I hope it is useful for others that are also Black femmes, really anyone Black. The body of work will be titled, Single White Female. It is meant to be a look at what it must feel like to be free and whole without outside forces dictating life. A glimpse into the idea that one could exist in the way they choose without guilt or pressure to conform.
How do you keep yourself accountable in your practice?
I know I cannot possibly speak on every experience, or even represent them. I keep myself accountable by pushing myself to open up space for more. I am always thinking of, "what could make this better?", "is this helpful?", "who is this really for?", "is the point of this clear?". I am able-bodied, skinny, pretty, young, socially palatable (palatable = not the common misconception of a black person). I have so many privileges so I have the responsibility to use my art as a voice for those that are consistently pushed aside. It is my job to remain forward in my work, if I am not doing that then I am helping no one, not even myself.
How do you stay motivated to pursue your creative work?
I live by the quote by Nina Simone, "An artist's duty, as far as I'm concerned, is to reflect the times." Anytime I start a new sketchbook, I write that quote on the first page; that is what I am here to do. I want to give light to what is currently going on around me, what has always been going on. This is in hopes that before my time is up that it will only reflect this current time and no longer be relevant to the people of the future. As for now, this world is constantly providing new ideas, so it is a consistent motivator to keep up with.
Where do you hope to be 10 years from now and what would you like to say to yourself?
In 10 years, I hope I will be surviving off of my art. I hope to own a space where my studio isn't inside my house and I can separate the two. I hope I will be able to hire someone, maybe even a team to work with me and be able to provide for them. The ultimate goal is to have made work that is profitable enough that it can be left to my nieces and nephews. I guess that means, I will be on the path of creating generational wealth. I would say to myself, "I hope I make you proud. I forgive you if you've strayed, I know your heart was in the right place and you always do what you need to survive."
What are your feelings about participating in a project like this?
I have not heard of a project that kept up with artists and especially not for 10 years. I am excited to see where I am now in comparison to where I'll be in a decade. It feels like the ultimate way to be held accountable for creating. I will have a yearly check-in that will make sure that I am staying true to myself and my work. I have to make sure I don't give up on myself and am constantly setting and achieving goals.
Find Brianna Noble on Instagram