This painting is a part of a new series that illustrates a connection between nature, ancestry and Black culture. The male figure is wearing a durag with flowers that are native to his homeland.

Jonte Drew

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Jonte' is a visual artist from Paterson, New Jersey. He attended William Paterson University, where he received both a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2018 and a Master of Fine Arts in 2021. Jonte's style utilizes humor to investigate shared experiences of African Americans, the commodification of urban culture and the conversations surrounding mental health. His paintings and drawings often feature himself and other Black individuals in the midst of colorful and idealized environments. In addition, he places an emphasis on the humanity of his subjects by placing them in various scenes of leisure and domesticity in their plight of finding serenity and joy, while challenging the critical portrayal of masculinity and physicality as it relates to the common perceptions of Black men.