Genesis Tramaine’s “Break of Day”

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Genesis Tramaine’s “Break of Day” held from March 22 to April 23 of 2022 at Almine Rech’s Gallery in the Upper East Side NYC, NY was an extraordinarily breathtaking exhibit featuring 12 large-scale portraits of Christian figures transformed into abstract complex visages of men and women who transcended social structures. Following her lifelong faith by letting it guide her colorful stokes in each raw and gestural face she creates. As I walked into the gallery, I was stunned by such images, my first impression was “monsters” as personally I believe they were infused with the graffiti mannerisms of Basquiat, yet imbued with an evangelical purpose, stemming from her love of community church music and Southern Baptist beliefs. Though, he was so dark and just the contrary of what Tramaine portrays with her art I could feel light in the room. 

Tramaine allows her religious upbringing to subconsciously manifest itself within each application of paint influenced by Bible verses and other religious readings. She reveals the amount of faith in the deepness of her art exhibition “Break of Day” and the materials she uses in the process and creation of the artworks includes oil sticks, pastels, acrylics but the main thing the Holy Spirit. She is creating paintings looking for access to God as a queer black woman and representing those in faith who feel the same.