The Prophetesses, A Preface 2021

Lanise Howard painted this world, or portal, or stage—whatever it is, it’s been carefully constructed with oil. I feel like I’m watching a play in which all the symbols, the set design, and the actors combine to create something dreamlike and elusive. Howard’s work has this feeling of myth making about it. The diamond floor and the hummingbirds are so carefully placed, and then there are these women, who seem to be waiting, or posing, or looking. Is the picture about to begin, or is it concluding? The painting is quiet, but it has this feeling of anticipation about it. It also reminds me of Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. It’s as if Howard is asking us, as viewers, to enter a realm of storytelling that blends personal narrative with collective mythologies. Artists inspire each other across time. I imagine this painting could be an invitation to meditate on themes of identity, representation, and the power of visual language.