Today we’d like to introduce you to Maurice James Jr.
Hi Maurice, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a self-taught contemporary artist and graphic designer born in Philadelphia, now based in Washington, D.C.
My work is an act of Revisionist History. I create to fill the voids in my own visual inheritance, remixing the American iconography that once excluded Black Faces into a new, sovereign reality! Growing up in Philadelphia, my imagination was shaped by comic books and films—spaces where Black heroes were often “hidden” or non-existent. Through digital graphics and remix aesthetics, I reclaim these spaces, positioning Blackness not as a footnote, but as the foundation of the American imagination.
I view my practice as “time travel”. By casting Black Americans as victors, deities, and protagonists in historical propaganda and pop-culture moments, I am building a Black Utopia—a mental and visual space where fear and discrimination are replaced by beauty, power, and genius. This work is designed to affect both the conscious and subconscious, fostering a sense of “Black Confidence” that allows the observer to see themselves as they have always been: divine and central.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The only struggles I have sometimes are budgetary. When I exhibit, I have these Grand Concepts and it’s frustrating when I can’t see them at full scope. Other than that, I take situations as they come. It’s always going to be something so i try to limit stress from the small stuff.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
What sets me apart is my understanding of Propaganda as a functional tool within Art. I leverage my background in graphic design to use the very tools of mass persuasion to shift subconscious perceptions. Essentially using the language of marketing and advertising to promote Black Love, Beauty, and Power rather than commercial products.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Not to many Artist i meet call themselves Propagandist. Although all art is propaganda in some aspects, I like to go directly to the heart of the idea and run wild with ideas inside that realm of creativity. On top of that my Art is for the liberation of the Black mind, and there has always been a risk historically getting into that business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mauricejamesjr.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/art4theblackmarket_
