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Donald Rodney

Donald Rodney, was a Black British artist whose work often used illness as a metaphor, deeply influenced by his personal experience with sickle cell disease. Although his art did not explicitly address the disease, Rodney’s battle with it shaped his perspectives on mortality, resilience, and injustice. His experiences within the healthcare system as a Black man highlighted the racial divide in Britain, making him aware of how Black bodies are both invisible as patients and hyper-visible due to prejudice. Rodney’s work, infused with humor and social critique, transcended his illness while remaining profoundly shaped by it.

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