The GAP has unveiled their 13 limited edition "ArtistEditions" t-shirts produced in association with the 2008 Whitney Biennial and Art Production Fund. The shirts, which will retail from $28 to $38 were designed by 13 Whitney Biennial artists including Kerry James Marshall and Glenn Ligon . The shirts will be available mid May at select GAP stores and online at Gap.com. They will also be available at the Whitney museum gift shop.
Kerry James Marshall, a 1997 recipient of the MacArthur Genius Award, is strongly influenced by the Civil Rights and Black Power Movement but also incorporates comic book culture and traditional Japanese art forms into his works. His work is visually bold and his figures often display a darker than usual skin tone. This aspect Marshall has noted, "emerged from an investigation into the invisibility of blacks in America and the unnecessarily negative connotations associated with darkness."
Glenn Ligon is a conceptual artist whose work explores sexuality, identity and race among other topics. Frequently, he employs materials like new and vintage photography, quotations or found objects into his work.
The last thing I need right now is another t-shirt and of course I am disappointed that there are no Black female artists in this group but I might have to pick up Kerry James Marshall's shirt. I am a sucker for a shirt with a black female image on it that isn't clad in booty shorts.