Untitled, Elevation #2 Chicago
2022
Acrylic on canvas

Dyson, who was born in Chicago and is now based in Beacon, New York, is known for a wide-ranging practice that is grounded in painting but extends to sculpture, installation, and performance. Her work is concerned with examining the structures and infrastructures of society, particularly the ways in which those systems have historically controlled the movements of Black and brown people, as a way to envision new spaces for liberation.

In a statement, Dyson said, “Every move, every step—I am always thinking about and imagining all of the spaces where people, Black people in particular, headed toward and moved to save themselves. With different geographies, there are different elevations to deal with. Chicago has personal meaning to me and is also fertile ground for my ongoing research and studio practice into water and spatial liberation.”