“In 2009 I felt the tactility of Black History Month. The inauguration of President Obama was such a wall of emotions. It seemed like sanity and truth had won over prejudice and fear, that we had an excellent man for a very difficult job who would empower us and not feed us fear. Personally I felt we could do with a little reminder of how hard the struggle for black people was/is by seeing faces of struggle. I found these mug shots on thesmokinggun.com and felt their proud anger and strength. Without their struggle I don’t think we’d be anywhere close to where we are now.”
– Charlotta Janssen, February, 2009
Born in Maine to German parents living in America under the Marshall Plan, Janssen moved with her family to Iran in 1973, later fleeing to Germany in 1979 during the revolution. Janssen studied painting at the University of Arts in Berlin from 1986-1989. In 1995, she moved to New York, where she has become a successful artist and restaurateur. She is the Winner of the 2009 Great American Slide Show at NYSG gallery. Janssen has exhibited in Milan, Shanghai, Paris, Miami Beach, Tokyo, Shelter Island and New York. She is represented by boltax.gallery, NY.