The article discusses the cyclical nature of visibility concerning Black portraiture, highlighting a recent but temporary surge of interest from institutions, which often fades when societal focus shifts. Despite record-breaking sales and exhibitions, once the urgency subsides, Black artists find themselves sidelined again. The term 'Black Fatigue' reflects the exhaustion from continuous systemic racism, yet it has been co-opted by conservatives to retreat from necessary discourse. The narrative surrounding Black artistic visibility appears strategic, driven more by optics than by a sincere commitment to inclusion and equity.
Black portraiture is on a timer, with visibility resembling a marketing campaign that fades as soon as societal optics shift.
The surge in institutional interest in Black portraiture was fleeting, indicating more about exploited political urgency than genuine progress.
'Black Fatigue' highlights the exhaustion from systemic racism, while its co-option by conservatives becomes a tool to retreat from essential dialogue.
The art market's correction caused Black artists to again be marginalized, as the momentary boom in visibility reverted rather than persisted.
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