Nanette Carter is known for her abstract collages that express her sensitivity to contemporary social issues and her responses to the drama of nature. Exhibiting her work nationally and internationally since the mid-1970s, Carter has produced multimedia works on Mylar since 1997. Her art reflects the Black American abstract art tradition, drawing inspiration from mentors like Alvin Loving Jr., and is influenced by jazz, Japanese prints, Russian Constructivism, and Abstract Expressionism.
Her Cantilevered series, starting in 2013, metaphorically uses architectural terms to represent the balancing act of life in the 21st century, while her series The Weight, begun in 2015, speaks to the burden “compounded on us as we reflect on our history and aspire to move forward to better ourselves.”
Carter was born in Columbus, Ohio, and grew up in Montclair, New Jersey. She studied at Oberlin College and the Accademia belle Arti in Italy, where she exhibited her work and traveled extensively. After earning her MFA from Pratt Institute in 1978, she gained recognition through various exhibitions and collaborations with notable artists like Romare Bearden. Throughout the 1980s, her work was featured in numerous exhibitions, receiving critical acclaim for its rhythmical sensitivity and sophisticated use of color and materials.
From the 1990s onward, Carter continued to evolve her artistic practice, exploring themes of nature, human interaction, and societal issues through her work. Her Picante and Aqueous series delve into bodily themes with a focus on sensuality and movement, while her Bouquet for Loving series pays homage to her mentor. Carter's recent Cantilevered and Afro-Sentinels series reflect her ongoing engagement with balance, protection, and social justice. Her work has been featured in prominent exhibitions, including Magnetic Fields and African-American Artists & Abstraction, and she has received numerous grants and awards for her contributions to the arts. Carter's art continues to expand in thematic, technical, and humanistic dimensions, solidifying her legacy as a significant figure in contemporary abstract art.
