Lyle Ashton Harris facts for kids

Lyle Ashton Harris (born February 6, 1965) is an American artist. He creates many different types of art. These include photography, collage, and performance art. Harris uses his art to talk about important ideas in society. He explores topics like identity and background.

Early Life and Influences

Lyle Ashton Harris was born in the Bronx, New York. He grew up mostly with his mother, Rudean, who was a chemistry professor. His childhood was split between New York City and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Living in Tanzania was very important to Harris. He felt it helped him grow as an artist and as a Black man. He saw Black people in leadership roles there, which was different from his school in New York City.

Harris spent a lot of time with his grandparents. His grandmother, Joella, was a missionary. His grandfather worked for a church in Harlem. These family connections influenced many of Harris's artworks. His grandfather also had a large collection of photographs. This might have inspired Harris's later interest in photography.

As children, Harris and his brother, Thomas Allen Harris, enjoyed playing dress-up. They would perform in their mother's hallway. This allowed them to explore different roles and express themselves creatively. Harris also experimented with colors in his art. In the 1970s, many African Americans explored their African heritage. Harris used color to connect his art to these cultural roots.

Education and First Artworks

Discovering Art

Harris first went to Wesleyan University to study economics. During his second year, he visited his brother in Amsterdam. There, he found a book about photography by Allan Sekula. This book changed his ideas about his future.

After returning to the US, Harris explored the club scene in New York City. He started taking art classes. He then changed his major to art at Wesleyan University. He graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree.

Advanced Studies

Harris continued his art education. He earned his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree from the California Institute of the Arts. In 1990, he also attended the National Graduate Photography Seminar. This was at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Later, in 1992, Harris joined the Whitney Museum of American Art Independent Study Program.

Early Photo Series

Around 1987 and 1988, Harris created his first major work. It was a black and white photo series called "Americas." In these photos, Harris wore wigs and white makeup. Art experts say this series helped Harris find his artistic voice. He explored ideas about identity and how people are seen.

While at the California Institute of the Arts, Harris faced challenges. He was one of the few students of color. A professor told him his work might be misunderstood by some audiences. This inspired him to create a powerful piece. He stood in a leopard bodysuit with a strong message written on it. Harris used this art to express his identity clearly.

"Constructs" Series

Harris's experiences at CalArts also led to his work called "Constructs." In this series, he often dressed in old-fashioned costumes. He used white makeup to comment on how culture in the US was often shaped by one main group. He wanted to show different perspectives.

Art Exhibitions and Themes

Whitney Museum Exhibition

In 1992, Harris had his first exhibition-style work. It was part of the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program. He created a series using the colors of the Pan-African flag. He included members of his family in the photos. His goal was to show a proud and lively picture of Black life.

"Black Male" Exhibition

In 1994, Harris had a solo exhibition in New York City. It featured his "Constructs" work. This was part of a larger show called "Black Male: Representations of Masculinity in Contemporary American Art." An educator named Senam Okudzeto saw Harris's work as a mix of personal stories and history. It showed how identity is shaped by society. The "Black Male" exhibition encouraged people to think about Blackness and masculinity in new ways.

"The Good Life"

In "The Good Life" exhibition, Harris explored ideas about masculinity. He sometimes dressed in feminine outfits. This challenged traditional ideas of "black macho." The show featured large Polaroid photos. These included planned and unplanned pictures of friends and family.

One important work from this show is "Brotherhood, Crossroads, Etcetera." This was a series of three photos made with his brother, Thomas Allen Harris. It combined ancient African stories, religious myths, and personal desires. Another notable piece was "The Child." In this photo, Harris and his friend, Cox, posed as parents holding a child. Harris used his signature colors: black, green, red, and yellow. These colors represent his connection to African culture. Green symbolized the African people, and red symbolized blood.

"The Watering Hole"

In 1996, Harris created "The Watering Hole." This was a series of photo collages. It showed how Harris used photography to reveal hidden feelings. "The Watering Hole" was inspired by a criminal case involving Jeffrey Dahmer. Harris was interested in how Black masculinity relates to being vulnerable. He used newspaper clippings and his own photos to create collages. These collages explored the idea of "desire to consume the other."

"Billie, Boxers, and Better Days"

In 2002, Harris released his photo series "Billie, Boxers, and Better Days." This series featured Polaroid self-portraits. Harris wanted to show how Black bodies are sometimes seen as products. He also explored how gender is created through repeated actions. Harris aimed to show that his identity has many layers. He even connected himself to Black femininity through the singer Billie Holiday.

"Blow Up"

In 2004, Harris's first public wall collage, "Blow Up," was shown in Chicago. This series started with an image Harris found in 2001. He was interested in racism and power in European soccer. The image of a Black man massaging an Italian soccer player's leg became the main focus. "Blow Up" shows how race and sex are connected across different cultures and times. This led to more wall collages, like "Blow UP IV (Sevilla)" in Seville, Spain, in 2006.

"Memoirs of Hadrian"

"Memoirs of Hadrian," from 2002, is a photo collage series. It shows a young boxer in an unusual way. Instead of looking strong and victorious, he is slumped and bloody. An art critic, Holland Cotter, said the title refers to the city of Rome. It also refers to a book about a Roman emperor.

Other Exhibitions and Recognition

In 2010, a book called Excessive Exposure was published. It showed many of Harris's "Chocolate-Colored" portraits. These were made with a special large Polaroid camera. In 2011, The Studio Museum in Harlem displayed some of these portraits.

In 2013, the Zuckerman Museum of Art showed "Accra My Love." This was a solo exhibition of 14 works by Harris. In 2014, he was featured in a documentary called Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People. His brother, Thomas Allen Harris, produced this film.

Harris received the David C. Driskell Prize in February 2015 from the High Museum of Art. He also spoke at the Contemporary African Art Fair in May. In 2015, Harris helped organize an exhibition called Nero su Bianco (Black on White) in Rome.

His art has been shown in many famous places. These include the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Venice Biennale. His work has also appeared in magazines like New York and The New York Times. Harris has mentioned artists like Caravaggio and Cindy Sherman as influences.

Lyle Ashton Harris is currently an assistant professor of art at New York University. He lives in New York City.