DERRICK ALEXIS COARD
b. 1981, United StatesDerrick Alexis Coard is known for his use of bearded black men as symbolic expression for possible change for the African-American male community. He considers his art as his voice for the human race, and hopes his work can be seen as a testimonial that black men can be seen in a more positive, righteous light.
Coard also openly acknowledges to have mental illness or developmental disability. He uses the word ‘righteous’ to reveal his spiritual leanings, as does his account of discovering that ‘the bearded look is the image God favored when speaking through Moses.’
Coard began making drawings of imaginary bearded black men in his teens, and his recent exhibition at White Columns—which has collaborated with HAI on a number of previous occasions—featured a selection of such works from the past fourteen years.
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