Honoring My Great-Grandmas Through Art

The answer to "Where are you really from?" is hanging on my wall.

As an African American, I am constantly asked about my heritage. When I say I am from here, the follow-up is almost always, "But where are you really from? Where are your parents from? Your grandparents?"

It is a complex question for those of us whose lineage is entirely, painfully, and triumphantly American. I don't have a connection to another country. My roots are here.

To honor that, I commissioned the incredible Jerome Lagarrigue to paint a portrait of my two great-grandmothers. They were born in different parts of this country, and they had very different values and lived very different lives. Together, they shaped who I am and gave me my fortitude. One of them has passed on, and the other is still with us.

Recently, my living great-grandmother came to visit. I was so tickled when she came down the stairs, looked at the wall, saw herself immortalized in oil paint next to her counterpart, and just busted out laughing.

I felt so much joy watching her, and I also felt how far apart our lives have been. The things that are my "norm," like collecting art, serving on MoMA and Alvin Ailey committees, and commissioning portraits, are things my great-grandmothers never could have dreamed of.

I collect art because I believe it plays a critical role in shaping culture. I also collect it because I need to live with images that reflect my history.

The next time someone asks where I am from, I can point to the wall and tell them I am from them.