Heavy Is the Crown, an exhibition of work by Sharon L. Bjyrd, will be on display at Arts + Literature Laboratory from Tuesday, November 15 to Thursday, December 22, as part of the Bridge Work Madison program. The opening reception will be Friday, November 18 at 6:00pm
Sharon L. Bjyrd is best known for her vibrant portraits celebrating the beauty and diversity of the Black experience. Self-taught, with a few classes along the way, Sharon entered the art world as a second passion after a life slowdown due to chronic illness created the space to re-discover her love of art in the form of painting.
Sharon's work includes serving as a juror for Art Fair on the Square 2022; “Honoring the Black Woman” exhibit which is on permanent display at Madison College; "Let's Talk About It, The Art, The Artists and The Racial Justice Movement on Madison's State Street" the book; the State St Mural Project, 2020; emerging artist at Madison Museum of Contemporary Art's Art Fair on the Square; and the “Flowers in the Garden exhibit at the historic South Side Community Art Center, Chicago.
Heavy Is the Crown
Heavy is the Crown is a vibrant celebration of the beauty and strength of Black women. The work examines hair as an integral part of Black culture and explores the fabric of our continued ties to Africa as seen through the use of African print inspired headwraps and motifs. This group of paintings are an introduction to a new iconography of modern Black womanhood.
