Growing up as a Black and biracial woman, I want to learn more about and connect the ties between my two histories. Recontextualize and recreate new pasts and new futures to find my place within this new timeline.
My practice combines my family and personal history with fictional stories to create new realities. Growing up biracial (Black and white), I’m interested in connecting, dismembering, and recombining the ties between my two histories. Both of my parents were born in the 1950s but had vastly different life experiences, partly based on the color of their skin. While being inspired by my family’s stories, I take visual inspiration from the aesthetics and media of the 1950s - 70s, especially science-fiction media and global events. Gouache, watercolor, collage, and photography are all mediums that help me tell these stories. Through my practice, I’ve developed a deeper understanding of myself, my family history, and the events that impacted us.
About
Erin Carty (born 1993) is a multidisciplinary visual artist whose practice focuses on her personal and family history as a Black and biracial woman. Erin received her MFA from the University of Houston and her BFA from Texas State University. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including Houston, TX; Austin, TX; Marfa, TX; Alexandria, VA; and South Korea. She also participated in a residency with the University of Houston’s D.U.S.T. program in Marfa, Texas. Erin was born in Germany, grew up in El Paso, Texas, and is currently based in Alexandria, Virginia, where she works as a web producer.