About
Born in 1991, D’nae Harrison is an American Multi-Award-Winning Interdisciplinary Artist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 2014, she obtained her bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Pennsylvania State University. In 2016, D’nae received the Philadelphia 76ers: Mentoring Art Contest First Place Award, conferred by Allen Iverson. In 2017, the city of Philadelphia commissioned D’nae to create a 52 in x 52 in oil painting, which remains downtown on permanent display. During the same year, her work was featured with Six Summit gallery in NYFW ’17 (Fall). In 2018, her work was showcased at the Former Robert Miller Gallery in Chelsea, Manhattan during the Eminent Domain Exhibition. In 2020, her notable “Shaded Oppression” painting received MOZAIK Philanthropy’s 2020 Future Art Award and honorarium. During the same year, Harrison’s “Save the Date” mural, located in iconic LOVE park, was featured on various news outlets such as WHYY, NBC10, CBS3, Yahoo News, Hyperallergic, Culture Type, and the Philadelphia Tribune in efforts to raise voting awareness during Mural Art Philadelphia’s Project to the Polls 2020. In 2020, D’nae was also commissioned by Boni Wozolek, PhD to create the cover of her powerful anthology and winner of the 2023 Outstanding Book Award presented by Division B of the American Educational Research Association. In 2021, the Philadelphia International Airport commissioned D’nae to create the “Shaded Rocker” rocking chair which remained throughout the terminals on permanent display for two years. D’nae is currently focused on preparing for her debut solo exhibition.
Artist Statement
“As an artist and musician who is not afraid to use their voice as an instrument, my work speaks not only for me but for those who do not have the same freedom. I aim to inspire those who have been oppressed to practice self love, utilize their voices and trust in their vision.
My most recognized body of work is emotionally charged and often juxtaposed against geometric based backgrounds. My color palettes and lyrics are bold and bright although the contrast of “black and white” is referenced throughout various works. Linear patterns bounce throughout my work threading together both past and present day themes of hyphenated American culture, while exploring concepts of the future, self-reflection and social commentaries particularly in response to inequalities and injustices.”