Arcmanoro Niles
The Magic of Youth
14" x 11", archival pigment print
Signed edition of 50
$150
Arcmanoro Niles' paintings chronicle his upbringing as a youth in Washington DC and illustrate the complex, multifaceted narratives within the urban landscape. By rendering his subjects so they occupy the entirety of the canvas, Niles elevates his communities and enhances their power through his characteristic blisteringly vibrant hues. In a recent interview with Creators, Niles explained, ""The orange is really important in the paintings, from a technical standpoint… With the orange, I can use very saturated reds and yellows to paint flesh and just flood the skin with color. One of the beautiful things about people of color, for me, are the reds, the purples, and the golden tones that glow. I wanted to push that as far as I can, while still having it be recognizably a specific group of people."
Alongside his human subjects are mischievous characters, which the artist has dubbed "seekers," personifying forces external to the focal narratives, like a Greek chorus reflecting on the interpersonal dramas rendered within the compositions. In The Magic of Youth, we are invited into Niles' community, encountering neighborhood children whom simultaneously invite us in by acknowledging our presence with locked gazes while using the same fixed stares to maintain a safe distance. Ultimately, Niles is intimately bonded with his subjects, reflecting their existence at the borderline of fantasy and reality of which personal memory is borne.
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