In her work, Karon Davis strides the line between visual art and performance. Creating enigmatic and haunting tableaux with white plaster-cast figurative sculptures, she explores issues of history, race, and violence in the United States. In communion with one another, the figures suggest both real and mythic stories tied to current and historical political events, the history of dance and performances, and the artist’s lived experiences. Inspired by ancient Egyptian mummification and embalming practices, Davis gives the works a frayed and crumbling quality that reflects the works’ social critiques.
Davis is the 2025 recipient of the Gwendolyn Knight and Jacob Lawrence Prize. The prize was created in honor of Gwendolyn Knight and Jacob Lawrence, renowned artists and dedicated teachers who lived and worked in Seattle for much of their lives and who recognized the need for Black artists to have support and advocacy. Funding for the prize is provided by the Gwendolyn Knight and Jacob Lawrence Endowment and the Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation.