Charles Gaines's perspective of Racial Identity

  

Link to the online exhibition: Charles Gaines Multiples of Nature, Trees and Faces - Hauser & Wirth (vip-hauserwirth.com) 

 How can racial identity be illustrated by the visual representation of using numbers, colours and contour lines? In today's society, the race and identity of an individual can be categorized differently depending on their social, political and cultural background. Charles Gaines has chosen multi-racial individuals to be the subject in his artworks, where he emphasizes the idea of human reproduction (Cowan, 2021). In Gaines's artwork such as the Numbers and Faces: Multi-Racial/Ethnic Combinations Series 1: Face #16, Naoki Sutter-Shudo, human reproduction is the physical and biological characteristics that have been passed down from generations (Cowan, 2021). Gaines's approach is to bring awareness to the diversity of culture and race of individuals that have been illustrated within the art world. In this paper, I will analyze Charles Gaines's approach to how he has incorporated the idea of uniformity that is found in humans and nature. This is important because Gaines has incorporated similar physical attributes to illustrate the concept of race, identity and the relationship between nature and human beings. 

    Charles Gaines started his journey in the arts industry as a painter and in 1967 he received his educational Masters of Fine Arts at the School of Art and Design at the Rochester Institute of Technology (Charles Gaines). Gaines uses a different form of medium such as paint, a monochrome photograph and surrounded by an exterior clear box (Cowan, 2021). The exhibition, Multiples of Nature, Trees and Faces has been hosted at the Hauser & Wirth online from January 29 to May 1, 2021, as the first installation from Gaines in London, United Kingdom (Charles Gaines Multiples of Nature, Trees and Faces). The contour lines that highlight the physical features of the portraits and trees such as in Numbers and Faces: Multi-Racial/Ethnic Combinations Series 1: Face #6, Claire Quilala emphasizes the same tones of colour like blue, green, yellow and orange used (Charles Gaines Multiples of Nature, Trees and Faces). In addition, it is evident that in Numbers and Trees: London Series 1, Tree #1, Abchurch Lane that the colour and number indicated has focused at the center of the artwork to create a contrast with the monochrome photograph (Charles Gaines Multiples of Nature, Trees and Faces). 

Image: Charles Gaines 
((Charles Gaines Multiples of Nature, Trees and Faces) 

 

   In the virtual exhibition, Gaines has separated the portraits and the photographs of the trees. The concept to have a linear flow to indicate how the first artwork, Numbers and Faces: Multi-Racial/Ethnic Combinations Series 1: Set A: Face #1, Nour Mobarak shows the gradual gradation used to illustrate the colour, contour lines and repetition used following the series. It is clear that in this series, the previous portrait has been copied to create a sense of how each individual has a similar physical feature, that is identical to a new layer added on top. The structure of how Gaines has included the concept of reflecting the racial identity among each individual is evident. Furthermore, the relationship between the four individuals showcases the feminine features according to the facial expression despite their differences. Whereas, all the trees in the Numbers and Trees: London Series 1 indicate a similar approach as in Set A: Face #1: Nour Mobarak. The relationship between the connection of how Gaines has included the same technique applied in both of the series and in his exhibition reflects on the idea of sameness.

    Plexiglas acts as a guideline to align each number accordingly as Gaines paints to create the result (Cowan, 2021). The structure of his exhibition includes a monochrome photograph captured of an individual or a tree followed by the Plexiglas to trace and paint on to the numbers (Cowan, 2021). The form of each artwork displayed in the exhibition has a similar physical attribute that reflects on Gaine's message to showcase the relationship between the heritage and cultural background of race. In Numbers and Faces: Multi-Racial/Ethnic Combinations Series 1:Face #14, Senay Kenfe, Gaines used colours such as pink, red and number to represent the physical and visual aspects of each individual by indicating the contour lines of the hair, mustache and facial expression that do not limit how one should be identified based on their skin tone of the subjects. In Numbers and Trees: London Series 1, Tree #4, Devonshire Row and Tree #5, Eldon Street, according to Gaines, it reflects on the randomness of the relationship between the photographs of the trees (Charles Gaines Multiples of Nature, Trees and Faces). This is demonstrated throughout his exhibition in the trees series. He has evolved and transformed the series of "Numbers and Trees" from his first collection in 1986 to provide a larger scale than the previous one based on his creativity when visiting Melbury in 2020 (Charles Gaines Multiples of Nature, Trees and Faces). He has enlarged the artwork in this collection to showcase better the width of the trees (Charles Gaines Multiples of Nature, Trees and Faces). 

    Gaines addresses identity politics and how individuals are not limited in the visual features that are categorized by social norms or standards (Charles Gaines Multiples of Nature, Trees and Faces). He illustrates the relationship between how the identity of individuals includes not only their physical features but also their culture, history and social influence in today's society. Gaines has incorporated a collection of portraits from racial backgrounds and nature from the streets of London to indicate the idea of uniformity that is found in his exhibition. For example, in Numbers and Faces: Muti-Racial/Ethnic Combinations Series 1: Face #8, Joe Lewis (Afro-Caribbean/Scotch-Irish/Native American) and Numbers and Trees: London Series 1, Tree #4, Devonshire Row the use of the technique of colours and numbers regardless of the subject reflects on how Gaines wants to showcase the resemblance within human beings and elements of nature that is represented in his artworks (Charles Gaines Multiples of Nature, Trees and Faces)

    I believe Gaine's message reflects the concept of being united as one and the relationship between nature and human beings corresponds to the acceptance of diversity. His visual representation has allowed viewers to establish a connection as a community to demonstrate the range between differences regardless of race, identity and elements of nature. The value of the work is recognized to establish a social and cultural acceptance of using portraits of individuals with a multi-race background and trees illustrated by numbers and colours. This is to showcase how physical appearance should not be a factor to be considered as important when it comes to recognizing how a person or natural element is accepted in society. 

    Overall, Gaines has established a foundation of using the elements in the art such as colour, numbers and contour lines to display the topic of acceptance within race, identity and nature. In today's society, social diversity awareness should be included of all ranges and should not exclude any individuals or aspects of nature. Gaines has highlighted the importance of how inconsideration still exists whether we would like to admit it or not. However, this exhibition has allowed viewers to recognize the social consciousness that every individual needs to be mindful of their words and actions.

Bibliography: 

“Charles Gaines.” Charles Gaines - Artists | Hauser & Wirth, www.hauserwirth.com/artists/21845-charles-gaines. 

“Charles Gaines Multiples of Nature, Trees and Faces.” Charles Gaines Multiples of Nature, Trees and Faces - Hauser & Wirth, www.hauserwirth.com/hauser-wirth-exhibitions/30674-charles-gaines-london. 

“Charles Gaines Multiples of Nature, Trees and Faces.” Hauser & Wirth, 3 Feb. 2021, www.vip-hauserwirth.com/gallery-exhibitions/charles-gaines-multiples-of-nature-trees-and-faces/. 

Cowan, Katy. “New Grid System Works by Charles Gaines, the Artist Who Paints Faces and Trees by Numbers.” Creative Boom, 1 Feb. 2021, www.creativeboom.com/inspiration/charles-gaines/.