Noreen Smith 'Justis'

About the Artist

Noreen is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist from Baltimore, MD. Her love for making began from observing the women in her family create out of necessity or simply for the sake of making something beautiful but, rarely for recognition or monetization. Those authentic experiences taught Noreen that art is a birth right belonging to everyone, a universal form of communication, and an intimate exchange that on the deepest level can evoke a visceral response. Knowing she could cultivate an artistic voice that could be seen, felt, and heard was the catalyst for her beginnings as an Artist.

Artist's Statement

My artwork explores the intersectionality or racial and gender inequality of the feminist art movement of 1960-1970. It is rooted in my journey through life as a black woman and the social/racial inequities of black/brown women, compared to that of white female counterparts when living out feminine freedoms and human rights in a white male-dominated society. Each creation lends itself to the innate power found in womanhood, and the divine feminine, inclusive of those seldom celebrated complexities and nuances of female existence over time and various life occurrences. All collage materials were sourced from comic books and graphic novels, calling attention to the serialized and ephemeral nature of comics, reflecting the real-world racism, sexism, and classism, that structure American society.