Autumn Breon is a multi-disciplinary artist with roots as a fourth-generation Angeleno, using her art to promote equity and challenge oppressive systems.
With a background in Aeronautics & Astronautics from Stanford University, where she also researched aeronautical astrobiology applications for NASA, Breon’s research-focused method informs her art, creating new pathways for liberation across the African Diaspora.
According to her bio, Breon’s work has been recognized by Artsy, the Smithsonian Institution, Aspen Institute, TED, the Obama Foundation, Artnet, Time Magazine, and the New York Times.
Breon recently spoke with S2S about her latest projects. In this interview, she delves into the meaning of liberation for Black people and how she draws on her experiences, interactions, and background to create impactful and thought-provoking art that reimagines and establishes equitable systems.
S2S: How do you define “liberation” and how does it appear in your work?
Breon: Liberation is the end of state-sanctioned violence against Black people, the end of the carceral state, and the elimination of all “isms.” It includes pay equity and being recognized and compensated for our true worth. While I may not know exactly what liberation looks like for Black people in the United States, I find inspiration in the resilience and multitudes of Blackness. My art serves as snapshots of this liberation, reflecting my belief in the existence of wormholes to liberation within our experiences.
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S2S: Can you discuss the influence of the African Diaspora on your art and how it informs your creative process? You’ve traveled to South Africa for your work, is there anywhere else you have visited that inspires your work?
Breon: The African Diaspora is a huge influence on my art and my creative process. I love exploring different cultures and communities within the diaspora, and that definitely shapes my work. Traveling is very important to me and my artistic process, it gives me new perspectives and opens me up to all kinds of new ideas and ways of creating.
Growing up, I often went on road trips with my aunt, grandfather, and grandparents, traveling across the country, mostly during the summer. Our destination was Washington D.C., but we would make stops in the South to visit family and friends who still lived there. This tradition dates back to my family’s migration from Alabama as they sought a new city to call home. The love for travel and exploration is ingrained in me, as is the inspiration that comes from these experiences.
I have been fortunate enough to participate in art residencies around the world, including a recent trip to South Africa for the One of Many Residency 2022: Wadi Rum where I performed a piece that was inspired by my conversations with refugee women.
It was during this performance that I partnered with my favorite Cali-based Black woman-owned bookstore, Salteaters, to contribute to a book drive for the women at the center.
It was a special moment for me that reminded me of the beauty and comfort that I feel when I see women, Black people, all cousins of the African Diaspora coming together in camaraderie and supporting each other.
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S2S: How does your background in aeronautical astrobiology influence your art practice?
Breon: My background in aeronautical astrobiology has definitely shaped my art in a unique way. I studied engineering, specifically focusing on the astro side, researching microorganisms and how they survive in harsh environments, like space. I was passionate about finding ways to get young Black people excited about STEM fields, and I even organized an after-school program for them to see young Black adults working in engineering.
Now, I still use that scientific method in my art. I treat each piece like a hypothesis, testing and refining until I find a solution. It’s a combination of math, science, and creativity all working together, and I love that my background allows me to bring that approach to my studio.
S2S: Can you talk about your use of different mediums in your art, and why you choose to work with certain mediums over others?
Breon: Sure, as a multimedia artist I like to experiment with different mediums, depending on the message of my art. I’ve done installations, collages, performances, and even an AR sculpture, which was a public art piece I worked on with Kinfolk tech, a cool ed-tech nonprofit based in DC.
For that project, I got to honor Biddy Mason, an enslaved woman who walked from Mississippi to Southern California and eventually bought her and her family’s freedom and became a millionaire. AR was the perfect medium to tell her story the way we wanted.
So, my medium really depends on what story I’m trying to tell.
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S2S: How do you incorporate audience engagement in your art and what role does it play in your work?
I view audience engagement as a vital part of my creative process and as a means of creating art that is truly transformative and impactful. Especially in my performance pieces, I often use questions, prompts, or other interactive elements to encourage my audience to reflect on the themes and ideas presented in my art.
One of the most important roles that audience engagement plays in my work is to deepen the impact of my art. I actually have an upcoming performance piece and installation at the Frieze Art Fair in Santa Monica about black leisure. I will be interviewing Black people in LA to ask them when they have access to leisure, and what’s activated for them.
