"Afronauts and Ancestors" by Alisa Sikelianos-Carter, 2017. Acrylic, gouache, ink, mica oxide, silver foil glitter, white crude mica, abalone shell and collage on paper. (Photo by William Jaeger)

Alisa Sikelianos-Carter, "Look at Me # 8 and #9", 2021. Acrylic gouache and glitter on paper. (Photo by William Jaeger)

Alisa Sikelianos-Carter, "In the shape I remember #1", 2021. Acrylic, gouache, biotite and glitter on paper. (Photo: William Jaeger)

"Crown Me" by Alisa Sikelianos-Carter, 2021. Archive printing and flashing. (Photo by William Jaeger)

Alisa Sikelianos-Carter, "Crown Me", 2021. Archive printing and flashing. (Photo by William Jaeger)

Thank goodness for a personal performance. Even small things like the “Eye of Belonging” at the Mandeville Gallery of United College have enough depth to understand the important content of several different directions that Alisha Sikelianos-Carter takes us to. This is an artist whose mixed media paintings are both visually gorgeous and profound, creating what she calls a "mythology centered on black resistance." "  

Her work is also an integral part of the loosely defined movement called Afrofuturism. The elements of the universe and the mysteries of the universe penetrate in subtle ways. Her almost all-black paintings were finally mixed with gleaming black mica and black acrylic paint, as if they were scraped from a nearby asteroid. Her more down-to-earth character works are about the body and human existence, but also about the prosperity of black-haired designs. This series of oversized mask-like shapes celebrates mystery and beauty with ethnographic roots.   

All of this unfolds around the second floor balcony of the heinous Knott Memorial, unfolding in a peaceful embrace. Especially those very dark and very dark paintings, almost impenetrable, but lifelike under the correct light, as if capturing light from the air. Yes, darkness does have its own necessary energy. Yes, they are also decorative in nature, but they show sincerity and strong restraint. The curls, layers, and irregular shapes of black on black cannot be easily read, which makes them both elusive and elusive. They are the self-definition of luxury.  

Some titles are otherworldly ("on this black planet"), while others insist on a very personal meaning ("look at me"). Both point to the root of Afrofuturism, which unifies differences. Most importantly, viewers, no matter how they feel about the universe, can easily get to where they want.  

These ideas revolve around the core of Sikelianos-Carter's work: the wonderful expression of a black artist's cultural self. Her webpage is full of creative cross-flows, creating lofty expectations for "sacred and sacred technology" or "the body as an alchemy and divine view." "I believe her. These paintings are easy to like. Of course, the visual vocabulary of textures and gleaming surfaces becomes the artist's own, especially when seen together.   

It may be that the intent of these black works is the clearest, and large-scale character works are the easiest to be hooked. However, objects like masks are mainly printed from photographs. After cutting, and then adding flashes, it is easiest to see them at a glance. My art critic students think that they have the quality of Rorschach's ink, symmetrical left and right, and open to endless reading, giving them greater potential. Artists call them crowns, which are very different things.  

But to me, they are like the masks of one of the two characters in her own biggest painting "Afronauts and Ancestors." "As masks, they imply a long history of indigenous African art, as well as a long history of capturing and creating (and canceling) one's own identity. The title once again leads us in a different direction, appropriately, full of ambiguity: "Black Amethyst Dragon ", "Galaxy Flying Man" and "Carry It With You."   

Who knew that photo prints decorated with glitter would be so convincing at first glance? At least in this case. The atmosphere of Nott and the back and forth between different types of works here, especially the more substantial figure paintings and black background paintings, enhance the exhibition and all the works in it.  

"Alisa Sikelianos-Carter: In the Eye of Belonging"  

Location: Mandeville Gallery, Nott Memorial, Union College, 807 Union St., Schenectady, NY 

Opening hours: 10 am to 6 pm daily 

Information: union.edu/gallery or 518-38-6004 

Jaeger has taught in the Art Department of the University of Albany for more than 20 years. He claims to be a photographer and also writes articles about photography and art. He avoids social media as much as possible. You can contact him at wmjaeger@gmail.com.