Emerging Semi-Surrealist Visual Artist, Tatyanna Taylor Is Breaking Racial Barriers

Racism in the art world is well documented. It has manifested in various ways, such as how art schools recruit students and, ultimately, the lack of diversity and representation among artists – making it a predominantly occupied white space that reflects excess wealth, non-diverse perspectives and life experiences, and an extensive lineage of white privilege and patronage. Of course, some Black artists have managed to navigate the profession with high-profile success, such as Jean Michael Basquiat. Still, success stories for Black artists of that magnitude are few and far between compared to their fellow white artists. This is especially the case for Black women. Black women artists have routinely experienced challenges, especially in digital arts.

Although digital art has existed for over 30 years, it did not gain traction until the 90s, when it became more accessible for artists and viewers. Yet, once again, Black artists did not have a seat at the table due to lack of access, systemic racism, and classism. However, more recently, the presence of Black digital artists has increased, and young Black women are beginning to break barriers.

Tatyana Taylor, a 22-year-old up-and-coming minimalist semi-realist visual artist and designer, is one of those highly talented emerging young artists who is overcoming obstacles and taking command of a space that was not designed for her to thrive in. Despite ongoing racial disparities within the arts, Taylor says she has received overwhelming support as a Black artist, which has been instrumental in starting her career as a visual artist. It has only been one year since the lifelong artist graduated from St. Xavier University in Chicago, Illinois — earning a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and African American Studies — and she has already landed a prestigious internship with The Beverly Arts Center, a multidisciplinary cultural center offering classes in art, music, dance, and theater; rotating exhibitions of contemporary art; and considered one of the most dynamic performing arts programs in the city of Chicago.

But Taylor’s continued growth as a digital artist has not been an overnight success story, and she has motivated herself along the way.

“I’ve always drawn something since I was little. As a kid, it started with doodling on the walls, drawing on paper to put on the fridge, and then forcing my parents to hang up my work at their job. Now that I’ve grown up, my motivation has strangely been my own determination,” shares Taylor.

In fact, art has always felt like a familiar, safe space for Tatyanna. While using Adobe Creative Cloud and the Procreate software to draw and create her designs, she has used art to tell the stories of racially marginalized populations that have been silenced.

“I minored in African American studies, which explored all aspects of the Black experience regarding history, culture, and politics, which I’ve found fascinating. It explores how our very existence continues to be seen as inferior, especially in health care, education, public service, and business areas. Knowing this, art serves as my second form of communication where I know how to best display my Black illustrations to educate the uninformed and misinformed,” says Tatyanna.

Taylor draws from our current socio-cultural climate in the U.S., issues related to racism, and traditions synonymous with the Black culture to celebrate Blackness. Historically, images of Black people have been conceptualized through a deficit lens and, in many ways, have pathologized the community and perpetuated negative tropes and stereotypes about Blackness and Black culture. Tatyanna aims to create a counter-narrative through her art that accurately tells stories about Blackness – not only reflecting Black trauma but also celebrating the community’s legacy of strength and beauty. Through this, she hopes when people view her artwork, they walk away feeling enlightened, inspired, and better educated about the Black community.

“When people look at my art, I hope they feel whole. Contrary to popular belief, Black does not equal African-American. The African Diaspora created various Black ethnicities and identities, but we tend to use those terms interchangeably and forget about the other communities. One of my other popular works, “Black, Black, Black, and Black,” depicts an African, Black, Afro-Latina, and Afro-Asian. This piece is meant to spread the love of being Black. Though we have our cultural and societal differences, we are all still the same. We are human. All in all, Black people have a shared tragic past, but I want my art to bring us together to discuss what we’re feeling, whether positive or negative. We need to do better on expressing ourselves and not inviting everyone to the cookout,” Taylor explains.

And art enthusiasts love it. In 2022, Taylor had her first art reception, and the turnout far exceeded her expectations and indicated a bright future for her growing success and popularity within visual arts. However, this is only the beginning for Taylor, and she is far from a one-trick pony. Taylor is also a photographer and was recently invited to collaborate on a photo essay project with Tennille Allen, Ph.D., Chair and Professor of Sociology, Program Director of African American Studies, and Program Director for Ethnic and Cultural Studies at Lewis University.

“In writing, Dr. Allen will discuss the history and present-day of the unincorporated community, Fairmount, Illinois—a small, poverty-stricken neighborhood between Lockport and Joliet, Illinois. With my camera, I will be capturing each moment of the everyday lives of Black Fairmount residents. More information on the intricacies will soon be aired,” clarifies Taylor.

Aside from her forthcoming project working with Dr. Allen, Tatyanna continues to work on her “Southside Chicago” series, a compilation of digital art to celebrate each of the Black populous cities of Chicago. When asked where she sees herself in the next five years, Taylor shares,

“In May 2023, it will have been a year since I graduated from Saint Xavier University. In under a year, it’s hard to believe I’ve had such a rapid boost in my career. Though in the next five years, I imagine I’ve established myself as the Assistant Graphic Designer at the Beverly Arts Center in Beverly, Chicago, and have traveled worldwide. It’s important to me that I promote cultural awareness so that my credibility and creativity are in sync. Nothing is too much when exposing yourself to new life opportunities at any artistic level.”