Redbone

This 2009 portrait by Amy Sherald entitled “They call me Redbone but I'd rather be Strawberry Shortcake” hangs in the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC.

“Through her evocative portraits, Sherald unsettles dominant views of African American culture and history. Expressionless and dressed in unusual, costume-style clothing that the artist has collected, Sherald's figures do not convey a particular mood or sensibility. By painting their skin in grayscale, Sherald also metaphorically removes their ‘color.’ The title of this work alludes to racial labeling directly, as the slang term ‘redbone’ typically refers to a black woman with a light skin tone.” -- NMWA