Skin Color is an interactive art performance highlighting the beautiful spectrum of skin tones beyond the concepts of race and therefore class. Through lighthearted conversations and interactions with the artist, Althea Jones, participants are encouraged to see more in their skin color. 

 

During the Skin Color sessions, Althea invites individuals or small groups to engage in lively and enriching conversations about life, connection, identity, and race while color matching the participants specific skin color with acrylic paint. The goal of the project is to encourage self-love and actualization while simultaneously building community. Althea plans to color match at least 1000 people in and around the Akron, Ohio area over the life of this project. 

Skin Color was conceptualized in early 2023 after Althea encountered a container of peachy ink labeled “skin color.” As a BIPOC artist, this label caused Althea to pause. She began to question her personal relationship with her own identity and skin color alongside mainstream marketing and societal implicit bias. Skin Color seeks to explore the ability to celebrate skin tone differences while healing an instance of implicit bias in a unique and positive way.