Nydia Blas facts for kids

Nydia Blas (born in 1981) is an American photographer from New York. Her art explores the identities of young Black women and girls. She noticed that there were not many Black women shown in art. This led her to focus on creating images of women of color.

Nydia Blas is currently a professor at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. She teaches photography there.

Early Life and Education

Nydia Blas was born in October 1981. She grew up in Ithaca, New York. She earned her first college degree from Ithaca College. There, she studied cinema and photography. She also learned about the history and culture of people of African descent. Later, she earned her advanced degree, a Master of Fine Arts, in photography from Syracuse University.

Nydia Blas's Photography

Nydia Blas started taking photos when she was a teenager. At first, she liked trying different ways to take pictures. She learned by trying and sometimes failing until she got the picture she wanted. Later, she became interested in how photos could change people's minds. She learned about how photos were used to fight against unfair violence in the past.

Nydia uses her art to tell stories about Black women. She uses photos, collages, films, and books. Her art creates a special space that shows the world through the eyes of Black women. She weaves together stories about situations, meanings, and how things affect people. Her photos especially explore the identities of young Black women and girls. ..... This idea is not just about romance. It also includes close connections among family and friends.

The Girls Who Spun Gold Series

One of her famous photo series is called The Girls Who Spun Gold. The name comes from a book by Virginia Hamilton. The book is an African-American version of the classic fairytale "Rumpelstiltskin". A writer named Priscilla Frank from HuffPost described the series. She called it "a celebration of girls in all their sloppiness, softness and strength."

Most of the people in Blas's photos are Black women. In 2016, Blas talked about how few Black women were shown in art. She said, "This is why I have chosen to currently make images of only women of color."

Blas believes her work helps to change old, unfair ideas about Black women. She says these ideas were made to excuse bad treatment of Black women long ago. Her photos show Black women expressing themselves in their own way. They are taking back control of their stories and how they are seen.

Exhibitions and Recognition

Blas's art has been shown in many places. Her work was displayed at The Wing in New York City and Washington, D.C. Her photos were also part of an exhibition called Vigilance, Struggle, Pride: Through Her Eyes. This show traveled across Europe.

In 2016, Blas was an artist-in-residence at the Center for Photography at Woodstock. This means she was invited to work there as an artist. In 2018, her photo series Whatever You Like was shown at the Garey Gallery. Also in 2018, she received a grant from Light Work.

Some of her photos were included in a book called Mfon: Women Photographers of the African Diaspora. This book features the work of over 100 female photographers of African descent. One of the book's authors, Adama Delphine Fawundu, called Blas's work "striking." She said, "It's really looking at what it's like to be in this body. And the social implications and expectations of being in this body but then creating this magical world that empowers them. These girls are magical in their own way."

Community Work

In January 2017, Blas became the acting executive director of the Southside Community Center. As of 2018, she was one of the two leaders of the Center. The other leader was Nia Nunn.

Blas and Nunn started a program called "Black Girl Alchemists." They created it for young Black women in Ithaca, New York. This program encouraged these young women to express themselves through writing and art. It helped them fight against unfair feelings about themselves. In 2016, they won a US$270,000 grant. This money helped them continue their work focused on Black cultural identity.

While working at the Southside Community Center, Blas also started the Girl Empowerment Group. Blas was a mentor to the girls in this group. She encouraged them to keep diaries. She taught them about self-esteem. She also organized events for other teenagers in the Black community. The girls from the Girl Empowerment Group later became the subjects of her photo series The Girls Who Spun Gold.

Through her photos of these young women, Blas hopes they can take back their identities and how they are seen. She said, "I wanted my subjects to reclaim, explore, and protect their bodies and self-expression. I wanted to reveal the magic that happens between women and self. I would like this work to state that black and brown females have a right to joy and a right to imagination."

Personal Life

Nydia Blas had her first child when she was 18 years old. As of 2021, she has two children. She has said that her experience as a mother "runs through all of my work."