This is an original art piece, handmade by the artist for the USTA’s Black Lives To The Front Original Art Exhibit at the 2020 US Open. This piece was displayed in the front row seats of Arthur Ashe Stadium at the 2020 US Open.
“This piece sheds light on a broken power system in America, which is represented by a cracked jar in the background. That fragile jar, with the lid locked tight, is seemingly far away to show that the broken system should be left in the past. It’s time for the world to make room and be open to what is shown inside the solid jar in the forefront: love, justice, listening, the truth, growth, a power shift, Blackness in all its beautiful forms, culture, and equity—the foundation. Contrary to the jar in the background, the lid has been removed from the jar that is filled with colorful, joyful and powerful words and symbols rising out from the jar’s brim. These words, actions and understanding need to not only be released, but need to fill the nation and the world for us to move forward in the movements of equality, racial justice, Black acceptance and Black celebration.”…Janel Young
The USTA Foundation Incorporated is donating 50% of the net proceeds from the auctioning of this item to the Black Women In Sport Foundation, in honor of the artist.
Bid now on this original piece of artwork and own a piece of Black Lives to the Front history from the 2020 US Open!
Artist: Janel Young
Title: Be Open To…
Year created: 2020
Medium: Acrylic paint on canvas
Height (unframed, inches): 25
Width (unframed, inches): 17
Depth (unframed, inches): 3/16
This piece is signed by the artist.
Signed Area: front
Description of piece:
This piece will be in an acrylic shadow box with a 3 inch margin on each side and the dimensions framed are: height: 28 inches; width: 20 inches; depth: 2 inches). Background material that the art will be mounted to is a 9.3 oz linen canvas.
Artist bio:
Janel Young is a Pittsburgh-raised artist who further developed her work in New York City over the course of five years, focusing on murals, abstract and landscape works. With a motto of “inspire through creativity and play,” her style contains blending, bright colors and geometric inspiration. Janel’s works have been recognized locally and internationally.