Sophie Harpo American, b. 1980
Biography
Image of Sophie Harpo
My artistic practice is centered around my anti-hero cartoon/comic book avatar “Left Handed Sophie”. I write and draw ongoing comic strip stories centered around her but with a fine art visual twist. I’ve been an avid reader of comic books ever since my Aunt Yvonne gifted me my first stack of marvel comics for Christmas when I was ten years old. My mother subsequently bought me the comics drawing tutorial book “How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way.” By Stan Lee. From then on I followed the book like a recipe cook book and developed a lifelong intuitive practice of making my own comics. Initially like most kids I used pre-existing characters like “spider-man” and “Batman”, then I began to create my own characters. I was especially inspired by “Storm” from the “X-men”, partly because she reminded me of my Aunt Yvonne and partly because I wanted to see more black female characters in comics. My ideal audience is black femmes trying to navigate popular culture. As I got older and went to school my taste and worldview expanded but I never stopped making and consuming comics. Over the years comic books gained greater respect in the arts particularly through the prestigious graphic novel format. Although my comics are straightforward, character driven narratives, my visual approach is informed by poetic resonance and surrealism. Metaphor and symbolism take precedence over the objective literary approach to illustrations found in most comic book art. The purpose is to make every comic page and even every panel function as stand alone works of art inside as well as outside of the main narrative. --- Sophie Harpo
Works
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Sophie HarpoA is 4 nAncy, Rise of The Reagan Regime, 2026Pen and ink, permanent marker, and correction fluid17 x 14 in
43.2 x 35.6 cmView more detailsSophie Harpo, A is 4 nAncy, Rise of The Reagan Regime, 2026$ 600.00 -
Sophie HarpoYoung Americans vs. The Yuppie, 2026Pen and ink, permanent marker, and correction fluid17 x 14 in
43.2 x 35.6 cmView more detailsSophie Harpo, Young Americans vs. The Yuppie, 2026$ 600.00
