Black Beauties by Gank Pansuay

Gank Pansuay is a Thai artist who we can’t help but recognize for his work, which he uses to simply and beautifully edify and celebrate black women. He uses oil paint in a soft and an almost ethereal way, reminiscent of watercolor rather than paint, to create close-up portraits of women. In a way, his works are soft and feminine, but also clearly show that each woman is confident, sure of herself and her place in the world, and determined to reach for even more.

Most of the women sport lush afros, displaying that confidence even more. Gank further emphasizes their ‘fros by linking them to clouds and fire - again a play on both softness and strength.

Some of our favorite pieces from his recent works are below.