If you’ve never heard or seen the phrase “art hoe” before, it might seem a little jarring. The term has been popular on the Internet and social media platforms for at least a year, but recently, it was introduced to a wider audience as a new movement in which women of color are revolutionizing the selfie as an art form.
Searching the phrase “art hoe” on Tumblr, Instagram, or Twitter, will bring up an array of brilliantly colorful, creative selfies by young people of color around the world. Many of these selfies feature their subjects posing in art museums and in front of important works of arts. Others feature the selfie-takers in front of superimposed images from pieces by Monet or Van Gogh. Others simply include a few well-placed Keith Haring-esque flourishes and squiggles. All of them are fly as hell.
According to Dazed Digital, the term “art hoe” was originally coined by rapper Babeo Baggins, while the art hoe aesthetic and movement was founded and popularized by teen artist and blogger Mars, in collaboration with fellow creator Jam. The 15-year-old Mars, who identifies as genderfluid, has described the art hoe movement as an opportunity to shift paradigms and redefine blackness by challenging stereotypes about people of color.
From just a few selfies posted to their Tumblr, “art hoe” has expanded into an entire movement and collective, consisting of young people of color from all over the world. For the collective, the art hoe movement is an opportunity to give power to marginalized groups.
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