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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nGordon Shadrach<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shadrach began his journey of exploration through painting in 2013, beginning to experiment with oils and acrylics. Observing his earlier works, we can see many a painting of a pair of shoes– dress shoes, sneakers, a loafer perhaps. Without including the subject above their legs, the viewer is able to come to their own conclusion about who may be wearing the shoes. What do they do? Where are they? Later, however, Shadrach changes the composition of his subjects, and takes the guesswork out of the who<\/em> we may be observing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shadrach, Gordon. Revered<\/em>. 2020, Toronto. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In his painting \u201cRevered\u201d <\/em>(a personal favourite of mine), Gordon Shadrach depicts the image of a black man in a basketball jersey with \u201cBlack \/ 75 \/ Loyalist\u201d <\/em>stitched across the front. A crisp, white collar emanates from the neck band of the jersey and on the man\u2019s shoulders one perfectly tailored 18th century Loyalist coat. The subject stands tall, looking down to the viewer in a stance that feels powerful, refined and present. Why is this so important? <\/p>\n\n\n\n If one is not used to Shadrach\u2019s work, they may have been startled by the sitters and the seriousness of their characters as depicted on canvas. But why is that? Why do these paintings stir such strong emotions within the viewer? Could it be perhaps we, as humans, are programmed to elicit a deep discomfort in response to the unfamiliar? Let\u2019s examine this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shadrach, Gordon. Opulence<\/em>. 2021, Toronto. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shadrach\u2019s works present black folk in a way that has rarely been presented to the mainstream before, and has begun to bridge the gap between black portraiture and mainstream art observance. He often takes the black man and paints him into a seat he may have never been in before, giving his subject classic 18th century hairstyles and clothing that were often only reserved for the white, upper class. Portraiture of black folk during such a time rarely shed them in such a regal light. In the off chance that a black man was fortunate enough to have his portrait painted, there often came speculation in the centuries after over whether or not the clothes he wore were really his own, if he really was of such a high status or had enough to commission the portrait himself. Because of this, our ability to see black folk represented positively in classic works of art has often been tainted by the prejudices that stem from the artwork\u2019s origins, and makes the procurement of these pieces for public viewing very difficult. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shadrach, Gordon. The Gloves Are Off<\/em>. 2020, Toronto. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In his sculptural works, Gordon Shadrach still makes a deep impact on the viewer by combining seemingly mundane items with historical pieces that are able to awaken curiosity. In his sculpture \u201cThe Gloves Are Off\u201d <\/em>a pair of boxing gloves hangs innocently from an antique rake head. The gloves, however, are made of vintage feed and burlap sacks, and the gloves are hard, unpleasant to the touch. Shadrach explains in his interview for his solo show Net Worth + <\/em>that this piece aims to connect the idea of athleticism to slavery and forced work upon black folk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shadrach, Gordon. RePurposed 5<\/em>. 2020, Toronto. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Continuing to observe his works as they are connected to athleticism, during the height of both the Coronavirus pandemic and the sweeping protests for the Black Lives Matter <\/em>movement in 2020, Shadrach created a set of paintings depicting various black athletes wearing masks that coordinated with the sport they played. A footballer in a mask made to resemble the likeness of a football, a basketball player wearing a mask made from a basketball. This, Gordon explains in the same interview, is meant to remind viewers that even today, remnants of slave culture still exist through sport, and athletes, though autonomous beings, are still in a way owned <\/em>by their teams and investors. These players are commodified for their bodies, traded and used for the labour of play. The masks represent their inability to speak openly and freely while contracted and owned by others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Through his works, Gordon Shadrach is able to bring ultra representation to a space where it has been lacking. What\u2019s more, he has inched the door open a little further to allow for more conversation on the commodification of blackness, and the way that the slinking hands of anti-black practices still exist in places that have rarely been examined before. He is a shining light in an industry classically shrouded in terror, and a beacon of hope for black folk in art. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To see more of Gordon Shadrach\u2019s works, and to have a look at his available prints and artworks, please visit his website here.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/fashionresourcecentre.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Screen-Shot-2021-10-12-at-10.20.34-PM-544x1024.png\")
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