“My work exists because these people exist.”
- Amani Lewis

Amani Lewis at her studio. ©Google

S aturated in tantalizing purple moonlight, R A S A A N (Midnight Series), created in 2020, presents a sitting figure gazing outward with a relaxed, confident and engaging expression, beckoning the viewer to join him in this alluring nocturnal setting. Fascinated by the creative intimacy of nightfall, Amani Lewis grants the viewer a beguiling vision of the night through their revealing pictorial technique. As explained by the artist, the multiple elements of chromatic intervention disclose the layered experience of existence within the black community. Through the creation of an aesthetic akin to that of a topographical map or a heat reading, the artist says, “I manipulate and complexify images of an environment and people whose stories are manipulated and simplified by those who wield economic power over the landscape of the city […] my works become complex sites layered with vibrancy, life, heat, energy, growth, healing, safety, magic, and music.” The synthetic treatment of the figure’s expression creates a chromatic impact that not only enhances the artist’s references to technological practices in their work, but also highlights the surrounding environment and the complex nature of the sitter’s reality. Capturing the magic of the night, R A S A A N is the final work in Lewis’ acclaimed Midnight Series - a series of spiritual paintings that avow the mystical blessings that occur only after midnight.

"It is at night where I have my most vivid ideas and visions that come into fruition; it is also at night where I have my most scariest of thoughts. In Midnight, I explore those themes with close friends and loved ones. I reflect on the greatness they pass onto others and think about how as creators, nighttime is when we thrive, both in the physical and spiritual realm. Our dreams becomes realities, and sometimes our nightmares become motivation to continue forward and keep faith."
Lewis Amani, in “Amani Lewis' Midnight Maps the Soul”, Juxtapoz Magazine

In R A S A A N (Midnight Series), Amani Lewis grounds the humanity of their subject through sensitive portrayal, uniting photography, digital media, and painting to render a large-scale portrait of composite black representation. The sitter, Rasaan Bonair, a personal friend of Lewis and domestic partner of artist Kennedy Yanko, was photographed while dining at a restaurant in Miami. The backdrop brims with luscious plants, rattan chairs and patchwork floors, reminiscent of painted scenes by Henri Matisse. Rassan’s figure emerges with a strong presence, capturing the attention of the viewer.

Having their work met with institutional praise, Amani Lewis has enjoyed solo exhibitions in multiple venues including the August Wilson African American Cultural Center; Expo Chicago; Terrault Gallery, Baltimore; and De Buck Gallery, New York. An exercise in the fulfillment of these aspirations, R A S A A N (Midnight Series) portrays a man awaiting company, inviting viewers to delve further into the possibilities of the night.