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Anna U Davis | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 30, 1975 |
| Nationality | Swedish American |
| Education | University of the District of Columbia (BA, 2002) |
| Known for | Painting, Mixed media, Collage, Sculpture |
| Website | annaudavis.com |
Anna U Davis (born April 30, 1975) is a Swedish-American visual artist based in Washington, D.C., known for her bold, graphic style and for her engagement with social commentary on subjects such as gender and race across different visual media.[1] [2]
She is the creator of the Frocasians [2] series and has exhibited internationally, with her work represented in notable collections such as the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
Early life and education
editDavis was born in Lund, Sweden on 30 April, 1975, and from a young age used art as a creative outlet and as a way to express herself. After moving to the United States as a young adult in the 1990s,[3] she settled in Washington, D.C. with her partner, where she attended the University of the District of Columbia. During her time at the University of the District of Columbia, she studied under artist Manon Cleary and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Painting in 2002.[4]
Early in her artistic development, Davis chose to break down the human form into basic geometric shapes, emphasizing emotional expression through abstract and exaggerated placements of facial features and body parts. As an adult, her art practice has become both a means to process as well as cope with the long-term side effects of breast cancer treatments[5] and as a way to raise questions about social inequalities.[6]
Artistic style and influences
editAnna U Davis creates visually provocative mixed-media works centered on her signature gray Frocasian figures, which are hybrid, abstracted forms inspired by her interracial marriage as well as her strong values of equal opportunity and racial equality. This lived perspective informs her exploration of cultural duality, belonging, and the intersections of race, gender, and power [3]. These hybridized forms challenge traditional constructs of race and gender, and act as vessels to explore identity, social inequalities, and power dynamics. Davis’s art is layered in both material and meaning, and is often visualized in collages composed of meticulously cut paper.[2]
Davis’ influences include the fearless storytelling of Frida Kahlo, the bold black outlines of Keith Haring, the striking collages of Romare Bearden, and Antoni Gaudí’s organic structures. These inspirations inform her multidisciplinary style, which combines acrylic paint, hand-cut paper collage, pumice, and appliqué textile arts on canvas.[6]
Her work operates at the intersection of the personal and the political, balancing pop-art aesthetics with critical commentary. Over the years, Davis has consistently explored themes of gender equality and traditional gender roles, using her Frocasian figures to subvert and reimagine power dynamics in both public and private spheres. Recurring themes include surveillance, ecological resistance, mental health, and gendered labor, often approached with a playful, irreverent edge. Her vibrant color palettes and geometric abstraction seduce with their graphic rhythm, then confront the observer with social critique.[6]
Career
editHer Frocasians series presents abstract, grayscale figures that invite reflection on race, gender, and identity. Drawing from both social discourse and personal experiences, Davis’s work delves into the complexities of gender and racial dynamics. Featured in numerous exhibitions like Witnesses and Damsels in Distress, her art frequently challenges audiences to confront issues of objectification and societal expectations.[2]
Solo exhibitions
edit- 2025: Walkalong, Dacha Loft, Washington D.C.[7]
- 2024: Road to Recovery, Brentwood Arts Exchange, Brentwood, Maryland.[8]
- 2023: Reality Check, Davis Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark.[9]
- 2022: Reality Check: The Work of Anna U Davis, IA&A at Hillyer, Washington, D.C.[10]
- 2021: Reality Check, Swedish American Museum, Chicago[6]
- 2019: The Frocasians, Dacha Loft, Washington D.C.[11]
- 2018: Damsels in Distress: Black Edge Wall Sculptures by Anna U Davis, Baltimore, Maryland.[1]
- 2017–2018: Witnesses, House of Sweden, Washington, D.C.[12]
- 2012: Pop-up, Gallery at Bloombars, Washington, D.C.[13]
- 2010: The Dance Before the Kill, Long View Gallery, Washington, D.C.[14]
- 2009: Bull’s-Eye, Long View Gallery, Washington, D.C.[15]
- 2006: Sashimi Me: Frocasian Paintings by Anna U. Davis, Studio One Eight, Adams Morgan, Washington, D.C.[16]
- 2004: Frocasians, Gallery Neptune, Bethesda, Maryland.[17]
Group exhibitions
edit- 2024: And Still We Rise, IA&A at Hillyer, Washington, D.C.[18]
- 2024: A Toast to the Boogie: Art in the Name of Funk(adelic), 200 I Street Galleries, Washington, D.C.[19]
- 2024: *Legacy: Civil Rights at 60*, 200 I Street Galleries, Washington, D.C.[20]
- 2020: Women in the Arts ~ Materiality - In the Flesh, Latela Curatorial x Artsy, Washington, D.C.[21]
- 2019: Building Bridges: The Politics of Love, Identity, and Race II, Galeria Carmen Montilla, 13th Havana Biennial, Havana, Cuba.[22]
- 2016: Consumption: Food as Paradox, Galerie Myrtis, Baltimore, Maryland.[23]
Grants and fellowships
edit- 2021 & 2015: Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant, New York, NY.[24]
- 2023: Swatch Art Peace Hotel Residency, Shanghai, China.[25]
Collections
edit- Dorothy Lichtenstein Collection, New York, United States.
- DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Art Bank Collection.[26]
Speaking engagements
edit- 2023: Art x Female Empowerment panel, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C.[27]
- 2018: The Influence Nation Summit, National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.[28]
Commissions
editDavis has completed several commissioned works for public and commercial spaces.
In 2016, she was commissioned to create a large artwork for the Dacha Beer Garden in Washington, D.C., a vibrant depiction celebrating community, cultural identity, and gender balance.[29][30] Her artwork Equilibrium was featured as the front and back cover of Feminist Studies journal’s special issue “Feminist Analysis of COVID-19” (Issue 46.3). [31] [32]
In 2025, the D.C. restaurant Jackie unveiled the commissioned painting Jackie, which pays homage to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis through symbolic imagery and themes inspired by Hieronymus Bosch.[33][34]
References
edit- ^ a b "A Thousand Paper Cuts". BmoreArt. 13 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Frocasians: Moving Beyond Social Construct". Artsy. 28 September 2018.
- ^ a b "IA&A at Hillyer Presents Reality Check: The Work of Anna U Davis". EastCityArt. 25 January 2022.
- ^ "Manon Cleary, 1942–2011". Washington City Paper. 28 November 2011.
- ^ "Beyond Chemo: Cancer Patients, Survivors Take Up Paintbrushes to Heal". The Washington Post.
- ^ a b c d "A Dynamic View of Social Justice Issues". Third Coast Review. 4 September 2021.
- ^ "Dacha Loft Anna U Davis Walkalong". East City Art. 21 April 2025.
- ^ "Washington Post". The Washington Post.
- ^ "Kunstavisen".
- ^ "Washington Post". The Washington Post.
- ^ "Dacha Loft Presents Anna U Davis The Frocasians". East City Art. 24 September 2019.
- ^ "Washington Post". The Washington Post.
- ^ "Art galleries focus on less-pretty aspects of nature". The Washington Post.
- ^ "Anna U Davis: Inaugural Exhibition of Drawings "The Dance Before the Kill" at Long View Gallery". Washington Life.
- ^ "Anna U. Davis at Long View Gallery".
- ^ "Sushi's So Unusual". Washington City Paper. 10 March 2006.
- ^ "Artist Elyse Harrison, 46, Bethesda". The Washington Post.
- ^ "Mutual Art".
- ^ "A Toast to the Boogie: Art in the Name of Funkadelic". DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
- ^ "Legacy: Civil Rights at 60". DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
- ^ "Women in the Arts ~ Materiality - In the Flesh". East City Art. 20 October 2020.
- ^ "Building Bridges II: The Politics of Love, Identity and Race". Galerie Myrtis.
- ^ "Best Group Show: Consumption: Food as Paradox". Baltimore Sun. 13 September 2016.
- ^ "Pollock-Krasner Foundation Announces 2020-21 Grants". Pollock-Krasner Foundation. 22 June 2021.
- ^ "Swatch Art Peace Hotel Residency". Swatch Art Peace Hotel.
- ^ "DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Art Bank Collection". DC Arts.
- ^ "EU State of the Arts Night After Hours at the Hirshhorn". Metro Weekly. 19 April 2023.
- ^ "The Influence Nation Summit". Cause and Social Influence.
- ^ "Buzzy D.C. Beer Garden Launches a Supper Club". Washington City Paper. 9 September 2016.
- ^ "Dacha Commission".
- ^ "Feminist Analysis of COVID-19".
- ^ "Equilibrium".
- ^ "Jackie Restaurant Unveils Jackie Painting". Jackie DC.
- ^ "Jackie Painting".