Literature

Atlanta-based artist Xavier Daniels (b. 1980) encourages his peers to Cry Like a Man: the working title of an upcoming exhibition, and the name of a 2021 work from the artist’s solo show In Search of the Fraternal. Through his paintings, the artist strives to transform the perception of Black men and overcome the societal pressure of emotional withholding. Daniels finds influence in the likes of Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and John Singer Sargent; critics may describe him as the lovechild of Edouard Manet and Franz Kline—yet the Morehouse College alumnus has taken these painters’ white subjects and made them all is own, creating regal Black figures in their place. Henry Ossawa Tanner—the first African-American painter to reach international acclaim—is another significant influence.

Daniels is making a name for himself by way of color symbolism, using negative space, and by shedding light on the vulnerability inherent to Black men and all of humankind. Cry Like a Man reinforces the artist’s expert use of color, conveying that while the color black may at times symbolize negativity or danger, this is a learned interpretation, and that these connotations of the color are contributing factors to the fact that so many Black men struggle to express their feelings. While Daniels states there is no easy fix for this stereotype, he does notice it—and the artist will continue to bring awareness to the problem through his own lived experience. Above all else, the artist will continue to touch on themes traditionally associated with white subjects, revealing that Black men experience the same emotional depth as their white counterparts.