Through her unique blend of African and European influences, Tina Tona creates visually striking collages that reflect on cultural identity and belonging. By incorporating elements of traditional African textiles and imagery into modern pop culture icons, Tona challenges societal norms and celebrates the complexities of her own dual heritage.
Tina Tona is on a mission to uncover the complexities of her dual heritage through the medium she first discovered in her teenage years: collage. This LA-based artist has been tirelessly crafting intricate works that not only celebrate her African American roots but also shed light on the experiences of Black communities worldwide. By meticulously cutting up magazines and found ephemera, Tona is pushing the boundaries of a technique that has long been associated with surrealist artists and musicians.
Tina Tona's fascination with collage began in 2014 when she stumbled upon a book by Dan Eldon at her sister's doorstep. The book, which featured Eldon's eclectic collages that blended photography, painting, and found objects, resonated deeply with the teenager. Entranced by the resourcefulness and tactility of the medium, Tona began experimenting with collage in earnest. She spent hours scouring thrift stores, flea markets, and her own home for discarded materials to incorporate into her art.
As she delved deeper into the world of collage, Tona became increasingly drawn to its potential as a means of exploring diasporic Black expression. She was struck by the way that this technique allowed her to tap into the fragmented narratives that are often associated with Black identity in the diaspora. By carefully selecting and recontextualizing images from various sources – including African American magazines, comics, and advertisements – Tona is able to excavate hidden histories and reveal the complexity of Black experiences.
Through her art, Tona is also grappling with issues of identity, belonging, and cultural heritage. Her collages often incorporate personal mementos and ephemera that hold sentimental value for her, such as ticket stubs from family vacations or postcards from childhood homecomings. These materials serve as a tangible connection to her past and allow her to confront the ways in which she has been shaped by her dual heritage. By subverting and recontextualizing these images within the framework of collage, Tona is able to create works that are both deeply personal and universally relatable.
Tina Tona's art practice can be seen as a manifestation of the Black diasporic imagination – an image-creating force that has long been at work in various forms and iterations. From the intricate wood carvings of African American cultural icons to the surrealist collages of artists like Romare Bearden, this tradition of creativity and self-reinvention continues to inspire and empower new generations of Black artists.
One of the key ways in which Tona's collage technique allows her to explore diasporic Black expression is by subverting traditional notions of representation and identity. By appropriating and recontextualizing images from various sources, she is able to create complex, multi-layered narratives that resist easy categorization or interpretation. At the same time, however, her art also serves as a testament to the enduring power of visual culture in shaping our understanding of ourselves and our communities.
In recent years, Tona's work has gained international recognition through exhibitions at institutions such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Brooklyn Museum. Her collages have been exhibited alongside works by artists from a range of backgrounds, including painting, sculpture, and performance art. This broadening of her audience is a testament to the versatility and relevance of collage as a medium, and serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of artistic innovation in challenging our assumptions about identity and culture.
For Tona, however, the significance of her work extends far beyond its reception by the broader public. Her art represents a deeply personal and introspective journey into the heart of Blackness – one that is marked by vulnerability, curiosity, and creativity. By embracing the techniques and materials of collage, she has been able to create works that are both deeply rooted in her own experiences and universally relevant to the complexities of modern life.
In conclusion, Tina Tona's exploration of diasporic Black expression through collage represents a vital contribution to ongoing conversations about identity, culture, and representation. Her art practice serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative potential of creative expression and the enduring importance of visual culture in shaping our understanding of ourselves and our communities.
