Representation Matters - How One NYC-Based Artist is Making a Difference

Haitian-born, New York City-based artist Guy Stanley Philoche, who has moved many over the past year with his efforts to support the art community by purchasing as much artwork as possible to help fellow artists who are struggling amid the global pandemic.  

As an immigrant from Haiti, Guy knows first-hand the struggles of moving to a new country, learning the language, and having to work that much harder to forage the proper relationships and make himself known in the art world. He always likes to say, “I never had doors open for me. I was always the one crawling through the window, finding the back door, an alley way. But once I was in the room, people started to take notice and now, I actually have a seat at the table.” 

We got the opportunity to chat with Philoche on his efforts and the importance to amplify Black voices.

The following has been edited for continuity. 

Identify LA: What prompted you to buy from Black artists during the pandemic?

Guy Stanley Philoche: It all started back in February of last year. I had just come off an amazing, sold out show with my gallery representation, Cavalier Galleries, and wanted to treat myself to a nice watch. I had finally settled on a $15,000 – $20,000 Rolex when I received a call from a close friend and fellow artist. He was clearly distraught; he had lost his job due to the coronavirus pandemic and was struggling. He was worried he wouldn’t be able to provide food for his family or diapers for his newborn. So, I told him I’d meet him at his studio, and I ended up buying two of his pieces. It wasn’t until after I went home and hung them up, that I realized now isn’t the time to spend money on a watch, I could use that money for good.

So, in March of 2020, I put out a call-to-action on my Instagram handle to my fellow artists that I was looking to purchase as much artwork as possible.. What started as a small initiative immediately grew to something bigger and more amazing than I could have ever imagined.

IDLA: In your opinion, how important is it that we all support Black owned businesses?

GSP: Supporting Black owned businesses is crucial to the very existence of society, not only during the pandemic, but every day. According to a report as shared by National Geographic, 41 percent of Black owned businesses have closed due to COVID-19 compared to just 17 percent of white-owned businesses – the funding isn’t there the help. What the pandemic has done is highlight the vast economic racial divide in areas of this country and as a result, businesses are suffering.

In addition to supporting the art communities, I also frequently support Black communities. Back in December of last year, I joined local restaurants and retailers in Harlem New York to unveil The Renaissance Pavilion at Strivers’ Row, a new outdoor art, dining, and recreation corridor created in support of the neighborhood’s Black-owned businesses. In addition to the help of Uber Eats, EatOkra, WXY architecture + urban design, Harlem Park to Park, Valinc PR, and Urban Umbrella, we were able to create beautiful winterized outdoor dining areas for a handful of local restaurants in the area (Ruby’s Vintage and Sexy Taco, The Row, Alibi, Make My Cake and Harlem Chocolate Factory), outfitted with artwork for diners to enjoy. It was great to see the community come together to build something that helps the Black community. 

IDLA: Do you think elevating Black and minority owned businesses is something that is lacking? How do you encourage we all do better?

GSP: I am all about spreading the love and believe we can always do better. Elevating Black owned businesses has been lacking for some time and it’s our responsibility to turn that around. For example, Small Business Saturday was created – why not create a Support Black Owned Business Day? Black people have made a lot of important contributions to society over the past hundred years, but they’re not something we think about on a daily basis. For example, the three-position traffic signal (stoplight), heaters, and automatic elevator doors were all invented by Black men and women. Black men even helped build the White House! We encourage people by lifting people up, being kind and spreading the love. It seems so simple, yet people still need a reminder.  

IDLA: Why it’s important to have more people of color in the art world? 

GSP: When you’re a kid, you’re always told you can be whatever you want when you grow up – you could be a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, or even the President of the United States.

So, when a child sees a painting and finds out that artist looks them, that gives them hope and the confidence they may need to follow their dreams or believe that their dreams are even possible. It is also crucial that Black art critics exist because their interpretations lends a voice to emerging Black artists.

If you look at representation in museums today, they still have a long way to go in diversifying their collections. According to a study as shared by HYPERALLERGIC, African American artists have the lowest share of representation at just 1.2% – what message does that send when the majority of representation (85.4%) belongs to white artists? It’s not only just people of color who need more representation, but people across all backgrounds. Art is something that is enjoyed by all, so why aren’t all types of backgrounds being represented?

IDLA: How are you making a difference/supporting other artists?

GSP: I’ve always said that art has saved my life, and I owe it a debt I’ll never be able to repay. As an emigrate from Haiti, I turned to art to help me adjust to a new way of life. I learned the language from watching cartoons and drawing came naturally to me, it was something I enjoyed. Fast forward to me living in New York City as an artist for the past 20 years, and New York has always been really good to me. That said, one simple rule I’ve always stuck by is to support other artists: whenever I sell a painting, I buy a painting. And once I spoke to my friend and fellow artist who was anxious about the pandemic, that set off a chain reaction and accelerated my buying spree…purchasing over 150 pieces of art and counting!

I also do something that I like to call, Art for the People. I’ll take one of my paintings – valued at $110,000 – and place it on the streets of New York City, and wait for someone to discover it. I will share some hints on Instagram to make it a little easier to find, and then I’ll wait to see who discovers it and gives it a new home.

To-date, with the help of his collectors, Guy has purchased over $65,000 worth of artwork from over 150 artists across the globe, with no plans of stopping. He has purchased art from artists in locations, including: Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Kansas City, MO; London, UK; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; New York, NY; Sydney, AU and more.

As the media industry continues to amplify Black Voices, this is the kind of uplifting, inspiring story we all need right now!