Yvette Rock is a painter, object-maker, photographer, and performer. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in 1997 and a Master of Fine Arts in painting from the University of Michigan in 1999. She is currently pursuing a K-12 Certificate in Visual Arts Education from College for Creative Studies. Yvette has been a teaching artist with InsideOut Literary Arts for 25 years and continues to partner with organizations to bring visual arts to children. In 2012 she founded Live Coal Gallery, LLC (now Rock Gallery of Art, LLC) – a small business in Detroit. LCG was a recipient of the 2017, 2019, and 2021 Knight Arts Challenge. Rock is the Founder and Executive Director of Live Coal, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization transforming lives and neighborhoods through art, community development, and education. She is a 2019 Facing Change: Documenting Detroit Fellow and a 2024 Seed and Bloom: Detroit Fellow. Rock lives in Detroit with her husband and five children.
I am Yvette Rock, a Surinamese-Dominican artist based in Detroit. In 1983, my family fled to the United States seeking freedom and safety from corruption and impending dictatorship. The early years in America were filled with excitement and challenges, a common experience for many immigrants. It was during this time that I discovered my new language – art.
Enrolling in elementary school, I was nurtured by teachers who recognized my talent and passion. Exposed to various materials and techniques, I found a lifelong calling in art. These foundational years were crucial, setting the stage for a career that explores multiple artistic expressions, including painting, drawing, photography, object-making, and performance.
Key themes and titles in my current work include: "What Comes From Dirt," "Infiltration of Institutional White," "Memory, Migration, and Movement of Black," and "Haircestry." The thread that holds these themes together for me is the concept of the passage of time. Time is a complex concept and construct that allows us to enter the past, consider the present, and imagine the future.
Inspired by a photograph of a pile of dirt on one of my Brightmoor lots, “What Comes From Dirt” symbolizes the potential of place and people. The dirt pile represents the source of life, perseverance amidst struggle, and the richness of the color black. It stands as a metaphor for my own journey and the transformative power of community.
In “Memory, Migration, and Movement,“ the pile of dirt is now flipped over and becomes a boat. This image represents the memories, migration, and movement that comes from bodies being taken from one place and transported to another - sometimes by force, sometimes by choice. Historical events that play a factor include the Middle Passage, the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the refugee crisis, and my own family history of fleeing my home country of Suriname.
“Infiltration of Institutional White” examines the insidious nature of white supremacy and systemic racism. "Infiltration" is defined as the surreptitious entry to cause damage, reflected in the methodical white drips over colorful surfaces. These drips symbolize the persistent infiltration of racism into communities caused by institutions and white supremacist thought. The textures and colors peeking through represent the resilience of those who predate this infiltration.
Exploring the cultural significance of Black hair, "Haircestry™" uses hair as a medium to discuss trauma and criminalization related to Black people’s hair texture and styles. Inspired by artist Sonya Clark, this series highlights the power of lineage and ancestry carried within Black hair.
I am deeply involved in the city of Detroit, transforming neglected land into artistic and safe green areas and creating art-making spaces. These projects reflect my commitment to creating safe, community-based environments that foster growth and unity. Through the act of mark-making and creation, I connect to the world around me, honoring the lives and histories of Black people.
I also recognize that as an artist, I can present images to audiences who may or may not have the same perspective. Nonetheless, I am driven to speak about complicated and controversial issues that deal with the human condition – from the dark past of racism which still lingers in our waters today to sharing the beauty that comes from a people who are resilient. I want to rest and pause and live a life worthy of the calling I have been given; a calling to speak truth to power and unashamedly address that which lurks in our communities, institutions, homes, governments, and hearts.
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