In the studio, I paint provocative portraits allowing my subjects to express themselves freely, giving them full control over their own narrative. I believe that art created by the voiceless speaks to the identity of a community that has been systematically muted. Therefore, the messages of the repressed must not be disregarded or dismissed but embraced and transmitted throughout the world.
I push, smear, and scrape pigments over large canvases, blurring the lines between traditional and contemporary modes of figurative representation. Subjects can be seen wearing everyday clothes that are representative of ethnic and cultural backgrounds that molded their reality.
The paintings that I create allow people to connect with each other regardless of one’s background, allowing empathy and understanding to lead the conversation as opposed to prejudice and false narratives. Using various painting techniques inspired by artists such as Amy Sherald, Kehinde Wiley, and Jenny Saville, my goal is to preserve stories that have been erased and rewritten in history.
About the Artist
Elijah Trice is a contemporary artist, born and raised in Baltimore. Trice was born into a family of skillful artists, varying from photographers to musicians. At a young age, he developed figurative and technical drawing skills and started to experiment with graphite and charcoal. He went on to receive his B.S. in Architecture at Morgan State University. After a year of working in an architecture firm, he decided to continue his studies at the Rhode Island School of Design.Featured Work
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