Portfolio | Instagram | LinkedIn
Erasure & Silence, 2024, oil on wood, 49 x 40cm
This two-part series explores the erasure and silencing of people of colour in social narratives. It captures the way their contributions, histories and experiences are often minimised and overlooked.
Painted on wood the surface itself mirrors the grit, resilience and complex struggles of marginalised communities. The series compels its audience to grapple with the ongoing disparagement of diverse voices. It is an invitation to reflect on how power structures perpetuate invisibility.
In this work, the subjects seem to fade into the abstract, dark-toned backgrounds, a deliberate visual metaphor for their gradual erasure from spaces of influence, such as the workforce, media, politics, and historical portrayals. The muted palette, evokes both solemnity and strength, creating a haunting juxtaposition between presence and absence.
By positioning the figures as both present and disappearing, Erasure & Silence is not merely a critique but a call to action-a reminder that fostering equity and inclusivity begins with acknowledging and amplifying voices that have been faded into the background.
James Esson 