We’re near the close of a year that hosted a global pandemic, a spate of wildfires, a national movement for racial justice, and perhaps the most dreaded election in memory. But Kadir Nelson captures, in his latest cover, some of the hope that has crept onto the scene. We recently spoke to the artist about the image and his dreams for the future.
You paint some scenes with multiple characters and others, like this one, with lone figures. What are the constraints when an image is built on just one character?
What’s most important is communicating the feeling behind the image, and, in this instance, less is more. The sole figure forces the viewer to focus on the idea that I’m trying to convey. That idea is about hope and promise, but it’s also about work—the work it took to achieve the results of this election, and the work we’ll have to do in the months and years to come. The blue iris flower in the girl’s hair represents hope, and her rolled-up sleeves gesture to the work that needs to be done.
You use the same medium, oil paint, that painters have used for centuries. Which era in art history most inspires you? And why do you draw from classical paintings, rather than from more contemporary sources?
I’m very inspired by art from ancient Egypt, the Renaissance, and the early-twentieth-century period in Europe and America. I’m interested in symbolism and fine craftsmanship, which is perhaps why I gravitate toward the classic. But I’m eager to see where contemporary art will go, as so many new artists are coming of age during these challenging times.
What are your own hopes?
I hope the world will safely open up once again after the pandemic has passed. I hope for certainty and finality with our recent election and for a peaceful transition. And I hope that young girls around the country and the world will learn and accept that there are no barriers they can’t overcome. Sometimes all we need to know is that what we want to achieve is possible.
See below for more covers that marked progress and change:
