Treat yourself to Guy Stanley Philoche’s art series, “Give Us Our Flowers,” this Black History Month at Cavalier Gallery.
Philoche pays homage to Black historical figures in these works, including to James Baldwin, Jackie Robinson and Lena Waithe, who he painted in black and white, surrounded by daisies (his mother’s favorite flower). He also represents everyday people in his works, including a mother and her two sons and a young girl jumping rope with a shirt that reads “My Body, My Choice, My Rights.”
Philoche began painting the series after his best friend died in 2022, wanting to create something to honor unsung heroes.
“After the funeral, I couldn’t stop painting my friend’s portrait and started thinking about others that had never received their praise,” he said. “The people in my works are painted in black and white, allowing for the viewer to focus on the subject matter at hand. I wanted to make sure to call out specific people like Lena Waithe, but also different archetypes like the mother who is working every day for a better tomorrow for her two sons.”
You can see these works and others by William Nelson, Adam Umbach, Jim Rennert, George Rickey, Mark S. Kornbluth and Terry O’Neill at the gallery through February 25.
