BALTIMORE – Art is a universal language. But the world of art hasn’t always been open to everyone.
In Baltimore, Waller Gallery features the work of local Black artists and the impact it has on the community.
With her hands, sculptor and artist Merle Davison brings the past to life.
“The dignity that she did not have in life,” Davison said. “I wanted to offer her now.”
The sculptures are figures that once lived and figures that live within her heart.
“They are sculptures of African Americans from the 1800s, some enslaved,” Davison said. “I have a whole series of my inner children.”
Sculpting began for Davison as an activity to do with her children, and in the process, she unlocked a part of herself that wanted to be set free.
“First, the sculpting was like, ‘Let me see if I can make this face or whatever,’ but it’s become a necessity of emotional expression,” Davison said.
Because she’s self-taught, Davison says she didn’t see herself as a real artist.