Yashua Klos

Yashua Klos is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores Black identity, memory, and labor through collage, sculpture, and printmaking. Using a unique woodblock printing method, he hand-carves and prints his own imagery, layering textures to construct fragmented, emotionally charged portraits. His practice reflects the impact of material conditions and familial legacies on the Black experience, portraying the body as a resilient, evolving form shaped by history and survival. In OUR LABOUR, inspired by Diego Rivera’s Detroit Industry Murals, Klos replaces the anonymous white workers with portraits of his own Black family members, reclaiming and recontextualizing the history of labor. The piece stands as both homage and historical correction, foregrounding Black contributions often omitted from mainstream narratives. Klos’ work is deeply personal yet widely resonant, functioning as both visual storytelling and archival affirmation. Through it, he transforms private memory into a broader cultural reckoning with history, visibility, and inheritance.

Submitted by [Sikkema Malloy Jenkins] (https://www.artsy.net/partner/sikkema-malloy-jenkins)