The Warmth of Other Suns | Stories of Global Displacement
Research Roadtrip
September 2019
September 2019
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The exhibition, The Warmth of Other Suns, Stories of Global Displacement at The Phipps Center in Washington, DC, had been on my radar all summer. As I begin to create the work for my Migration Project, I knew that experiencing how 75 historical and contemporary artists —from the United States as well as Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Syria, Turkey, UK, Vietnam, and more— responded to themes of migration and the current global refugee crisis would be vital to shaping how I approach my work in the studio.
Through installations, videos, paintings, and documentary images, The Warmth of Other Suns explores both real and imaginary geographies, reconstructing personal and collective tales of migration. Overlaying historical experiences of migration to and within the United States with the current plight of refugees around the world, the exhibition brings together a multitude of voices and exposes the universality of migration as an experience shared by many. The exhibition also focuses on how artists bear witness to both historical events and more subtle shifts in cultural landscapes. - The Phillips Collection in partnership with the New Museum in New York. The exhibition exceeded my expectations, brought me to tears on each floor, and reminded me how important the work that I have committed to do is. The last work we viewed has special significance for both me and my best friend, Taunja Peques. Francis Alÿs "Don't Cross the Bridge Before You Get to the River " (Strait of Gibraltar, Morocco-Spain), 2008, it brought back memories of Morocco, the country we both recently visited and dearly love. I hope the exhibition travels to a city near you. It is worth your time and attention! T ~ |
Photo of the shoe-boats used in the video "Don't Cross the Bridge Before You Get to the River " (Strait of Gibraltar, Morocco-Spain). On 12 August 2008, a line of kids each carrying a boat made out of a shoe leaves Europe in the direction of Morocco, while a second line of kids with shoe-boats leaves Africa in the direction of Spain. The two lines will meet on the horizon.
Francis Alÿs devoted four years to Don‘t Cross the Bridge before You Get to the River, a project that took place both in the sphere of world politics and in gallery environments as a multi-media installation that encompassed painting, drawing, sculpture, and video. Initially conceived as a means of connecting Castro’s with Key West in the United States, Don‘t Cross the Bridge before You Get to the River had a second life in the Strait of Gibraltar as Alÿs attempted to build alliances that would represent the common humanity of Europe and Africa. Alÿs stated: “I wanted to construct an authentic image of the place, a symbolic bridge between the two continents, but always ended up involved in someone else’s fight. It was absurd.” Ultimately faced with the impossibility of realizing the work with actual boats, Alÿs invited children to form a line at each end of the strait with toy boats, bringing the project back to the open-hearted spirit of collaboration that first motivated Alÿs.
Francis Alÿs devoted four years to Don‘t Cross the Bridge before You Get to the River, a project that took place both in the sphere of world politics and in gallery environments as a multi-media installation that encompassed painting, drawing, sculpture, and video. Initially conceived as a means of connecting Castro’s with Key West in the United States, Don‘t Cross the Bridge before You Get to the River had a second life in the Strait of Gibraltar as Alÿs attempted to build alliances that would represent the common humanity of Europe and Africa. Alÿs stated: “I wanted to construct an authentic image of the place, a symbolic bridge between the two continents, but always ended up involved in someone else’s fight. It was absurd.” Ultimately faced with the impossibility of realizing the work with actual boats, Alÿs invited children to form a line at each end of the strait with toy boats, bringing the project back to the open-hearted spirit of collaboration that first motivated Alÿs.
Interpretations of Black Female Beauty | Part II
Seeing My Work Through The Eyes of Another
September 2019
September 2019
Walking Through The Upside Down World
high gloss enamel, Terraskin paper, chiyogami paper, resin, 12 x 12 in |
In Part II of this post, I conclude Spencer's review of my second work, Walking through the Upside-Down World, and present the introduction to Chapter Three of her thesis. I realize it is out of order from the original text but bare with me. I feel it is significant to share her positioning of my work with Charly Palmer and give you context to how Charly and I work together.
For the past three years Charly and I have been studio mates and accountability partners. While we maintain individual studios on the same floor, we are constantly in and out of each other's space discussing everything from the progress of current work to keeping each other on track with our studio goals, we share our inspirations, frustrations of the moment, materials, and, most important, make sure we have the right food and beverages in the studio to keep everything going smoothly. (I'm currently going through a Prosecco phase and accepting all donations!) As artists we feed off of each other's energy and I can't begin to put into words how our friendship has influenced the development of my work. Being a full-time artist can be lonely at times for it is mainly a solitary affair; the real work takes place inside our heads before the first brush stroke is made. Organically, we have created this beautiful supportive ecosystem that has become intrigue to both of our practice. Without a doubt, our studios are both sacred spaces for creation and our happy places! I do hope you enjoy Part II of the series. Once Spencer's thesis becomes public, I will post the link in a future post for your reading pleasure! |
Part II "Aesthetic Liberation: Contemporary Black Visual Art and Typologies of Activism in Atlanta"
Spencer Stultz
Thesis | Syracuse University, May 2019
Spencer Stultz
Thesis | Syracuse University, May 2019
Walking through the Upside-Down World depicts a woman who is alone as far as the viewer can tell. She is mid-stride and appears to have her arms crossed in front of her. The background is cut from Japanese Chiyogami paper and has been shaped into large wavy swaths that move diagonally across the image’s surface, creating a sense of rhythm between the undulations of orange paper with yellow rippling swirls and undulations of golden paper. The movement is not linear, and coupled with the upside-down bouquets of pink and white flowers there is a sense of displacement and otherworldliness. The viewer can see that the figure is not looking straight ahead, but her chin is tilted downward as if she is staring at the ground as she walks. She could be watching the ground attentively as she carefully picks out a pathway for herself because of the displacement she may feel from being right side-up in an upside-down world; or, she may be lost in her own thoughts. Either way, she appears to be frustrated, her arms folded and drawn tightly to her sides. It is unclear whether her frustrations lay in the fact that she is walking in an upside-down world, or if it is her frustrations that are causing her world to be turned upside down. All of these deductions are both a matter of perspective and interpretations, which illustrates the aforementioned point about Tracy’s approach to her work. She does not always take clear stances and focuses more on the presentation of the image. She creates work that beautifully depicts black women. The ambiguity of some of her images provides a sense of freedom to the viewer, where they are able to insert their own understanding of her work instead of only seeing what she prompts the viewer to see.
Both Palmer and Murrell have the ability to speak in an emotional language through their art. This is where the power of their work resides - in its emotional complexity. As artists, their focus is to simply express themselves, and, through this practice, they are able to communicate in the Universal Language of the Soul of the World (Coelho) that is transcendent of time and space. Although their work is grounded deeply in the identity politics that they engage (both directly and at times in more subtle ways), both artists are still able to create works that people of all walks of life can appreciate, engage, and connect to. Their work is discursive, with the ability to communicate ideas that expand on larger social experiences and political events.
. . . . . .
Chapter Three – History Makers and Re-Interpreters: Engaging the Soul of the World through Art-Making
This chapter explores the visual art of Charly Palmer and Tracy Murrell, artists who have very different artistic practices and aesthetic styles yet share some basic similarities. They both present their work in a way that represents familiar subject matter to viewers. In other words, they provide a re-introduction of the subjects they depict. The artists also engage issues without appearing to present a definitive activist perspective. For example, instead of asserting that black people are strong or the best at something, the artists present them in ways they consider to be true. These commonalities do not obscure the artists’ distinctive approaches.
In this chapter I analyze how visual art can engage larger social issues even when it is not presented as propaganda. I explore how both Palmer and Murrell’s art communicates ideas that are bigger and deeper than what is depicted in ways that are at times very subtle, searching for ways to locate the power of visual art that is beyond words. I do not place these artists in the same chapter based on similar art practices. Rather, I chose to engage these artists together because their artwork elicits the same reaction from me. Kerry Marshall describes this reaction as “that physical sensation, a shiver induced by the mere sight of a thing, is the elusive charge sought after, rarely achieved, and even more difficult to sustain by any artists trafficking in the allure of images. This is the ineffable dimension of art often labeled “the sublime” (Marshall, p. 19). Their work constantly elicits reactions from me that are beyond the scope of words. Both of these artists are able, through their art, to tap into a place that is reminiscent of Paulo Coelho’s description of the Soul of the World in his novel The Alchemist, or “The Force” of Star Wars films (Rolling).
Both Palmer and Murrell have the ability to speak in an emotional language through their art. This is where the power of their work resides - in its emotional complexity. As artists, their focus is to simply express themselves, and, through this practice, they are able to communicate in the Universal Language of the Soul of the World (Coelho) that is transcendent of time and space. Although their work is grounded deeply in the identity politics that they engage (both directly and at times in more subtle ways), both artists are still able to create works that people of all walks of life can appreciate, engage, and connect to. Their work is discursive, with the ability to communicate ideas that expand on larger social experiences and political events.
. . . . . .
Chapter Three – History Makers and Re-Interpreters: Engaging the Soul of the World through Art-Making
This chapter explores the visual art of Charly Palmer and Tracy Murrell, artists who have very different artistic practices and aesthetic styles yet share some basic similarities. They both present their work in a way that represents familiar subject matter to viewers. In other words, they provide a re-introduction of the subjects they depict. The artists also engage issues without appearing to present a definitive activist perspective. For example, instead of asserting that black people are strong or the best at something, the artists present them in ways they consider to be true. These commonalities do not obscure the artists’ distinctive approaches.
In this chapter I analyze how visual art can engage larger social issues even when it is not presented as propaganda. I explore how both Palmer and Murrell’s art communicates ideas that are bigger and deeper than what is depicted in ways that are at times very subtle, searching for ways to locate the power of visual art that is beyond words. I do not place these artists in the same chapter based on similar art practices. Rather, I chose to engage these artists together because their artwork elicits the same reaction from me. Kerry Marshall describes this reaction as “that physical sensation, a shiver induced by the mere sight of a thing, is the elusive charge sought after, rarely achieved, and even more difficult to sustain by any artists trafficking in the allure of images. This is the ineffable dimension of art often labeled “the sublime” (Marshall, p. 19). Their work constantly elicits reactions from me that are beyond the scope of words. Both of these artists are able, through their art, to tap into a place that is reminiscent of Paulo Coelho’s description of the Soul of the World in his novel The Alchemist, or “The Force” of Star Wars films (Rolling).
Interpretations of Black Female Beauty | Part I
Seeing My Work Through The Eyes of Another
September 2019
September 2019
Wherever You Go I Will Be With You #2
high gloss enamel, chiyogami papers, resin, 12 x 12 in |
Last summer, I had a studio visit from a Syracuse University graduate student, Spencer Stultz. She was in Atlanta interviewing artists for her thesis and Jamaal Barber suggested that she interview me. We spent a delightful afternoon hanging out, talking art, and having fun as she recorded our conversation. At that time I was working on a new series and it was a leap for me to start incorporating my prized Japanese papers into my practice. I had been collecting chiyogami paper and other specialty papers for years; admiring their beauty and complexity but keeping them pristine in my flat files. One day after dropping close to $100 on 8 sheets of new paper I realized that I was right on the edge of becoming a paper hoarder if I did not start using them. So with x-acto knife in hand I started cutting and a new series was born.
Recently Spencer sent me a copy of her thesis and it blew me away. Reading how she viewed and analyzed two of my works changed how I see them. With her permission, I am sharing her words with you. Part I focuses on Wherever You Go I Will Be With You. Enjoy! |
"Aesthetic Liberation: Contemporary Black Visual Art and Typologies of Activism in Atlanta"
Spencer Stultz
Thesis | Syracuse University, May 2019
Spencer Stultz
Thesis | Syracuse University, May 2019
ABSTRACT
Historically, black visual art has held significance beyond its surface value as a source of beauty or entertainment. Black art has a long tradition of connections to activism. Black art advocates promoted the idea that art should be wielded as a tool for black advancement. However, in recent years, cultural theorists have declared that black art history has developed beyond this point and entered an era of post-blackness. Against this backdrop, I analyze the creative practices of contemporary black visual artists in Atlanta, GA to explore the varied ways that their art is a locus for activism and sociopolitical commentary. Their artistry is the basis for my interrogation of the question, what is this present moment in black art history, and what are the features of contemporary black artistic production?
Tracy Murrell: Interpretations of Black Female Beauty
Tracy Murrell is a visual artist, curator and creative in Atlanta. She previously was a curator at the Hammonds House for five years. The Hammonds House Museum is a historically significant art museum whose mission is to “preserve, exhibit, interpret and increase public awareness about the contributions that visual artists of African descent have made towards world culture” (Hammonds House Mission). She creates imagery that is concerned with the black female figure in silhouette form. Later in her practice, she became intentional about focally depicting black female forms. Prior to this, she had found herself constantly gravitating towards making images where she was able to see herself. It wasn’t until years into her practice that she realized how important it is for people to see the beauty in black women – to see what she sees (Murrell, 15:58). Murrell utilizes patterned paper and paper cutting methods to adorn her figures in ways that are beautiful and pleasing to view. She wants her work to be a point of rest for both herself as the creator and for her audience. Recognizing how chaotic and stressful life is, Murrell wants to create a sense of peacefulness as one gazes as a black female silhouette (Murrell, 11:17). In doing this, she situates black women as a source and site of repose.
This simple re – interpretation of the black female form is the antithesis of many stereotypes that exist regarding black women, which characterizes them at times as angry or complicated. However, Murrell doesn’t concern herself with directly depicting these complications, or focus on combatting them. Instead, she offers a refreshing way to experience black women. She depicts them as the source and locus for beauty, peace and rest. She is intentional about the pattern work that she utilizes in her work; she wants the work to be imagery that calms the mind. Early in her career, one of the only black papercutting visual artists that she knew of was Kara Walker, whose work Murrell says can induce depression and anxiety because of its subject matter. Because she came to art to find a place of rest, she wanted to create an art that still focuses on black female subjectivity but with the intentional approach of depicting black women as beautiful, calming, and with the intentions to evoke a sense of serenity. These two works that I examine are what Murrell calls “intimate” smaller works (Murrell, personal communication, 2018). They are made with Japanese Chiyogami paper and are part of a new series that she is preparing to debut to the public and present for sale.
Wherever You Go I Will Be With You depicts two deep blue figures that are facing each other. Their heads are bowed in unison, in a prayer-like stance. The simplistic silhouettes of the figures are contrasted by the clothing and background which are lush in vibrancy and intricacy. The figures are framed in front of a yellow background that has various blue-green pattern work which fill up what would have been negative space. Navigating those various patterns are a flock of white birds, flying in all different directions. It appears that the two figures are sharing an intimate moment in a quiet place, when suddenly a sound scatters the birds that a moment before may have been resting. The birds are in motion, but the two figures remain still. Draped in colorful robes, the pattern of the clothing provides the viewer with another set of surface decorations. The foundation of the clothing are color blocks of a gold material and is contrasted by blocks of red fabric that is filled with orange rippling swirls. These swirls elicit a sense of movement, which compliments the movement of the birds in the background. Layered on top of this patterned robing are bouquets of white and pink flowers.
Although this image appears too busy when considering the various patterns and colors, there is an inherent balance that it exudes. This may be because the two figures mirror each other, providing a sense of symmetry and coherence. Murrell positions the two figures in a way that shows that they are in agreement with one other, an interpretation supported by the affirming title of the work of art. With both heads bowed, the audience can deduce that they are in a meditative state. The allusions of Japanese cut paper craft, along with the robes that resemble kimonos in their print and draping fashion, suggests to the audience that something deeply significant is taking place between the two. Kimonos are traditionally worn on special occasions, and the intimate stance of the two figures coupled with the title of the painting are indicative that they are sharing a serious and sacred moment together.
Historically, black visual art has held significance beyond its surface value as a source of beauty or entertainment. Black art has a long tradition of connections to activism. Black art advocates promoted the idea that art should be wielded as a tool for black advancement. However, in recent years, cultural theorists have declared that black art history has developed beyond this point and entered an era of post-blackness. Against this backdrop, I analyze the creative practices of contemporary black visual artists in Atlanta, GA to explore the varied ways that their art is a locus for activism and sociopolitical commentary. Their artistry is the basis for my interrogation of the question, what is this present moment in black art history, and what are the features of contemporary black artistic production?
Tracy Murrell: Interpretations of Black Female Beauty
Tracy Murrell is a visual artist, curator and creative in Atlanta. She previously was a curator at the Hammonds House for five years. The Hammonds House Museum is a historically significant art museum whose mission is to “preserve, exhibit, interpret and increase public awareness about the contributions that visual artists of African descent have made towards world culture” (Hammonds House Mission). She creates imagery that is concerned with the black female figure in silhouette form. Later in her practice, she became intentional about focally depicting black female forms. Prior to this, she had found herself constantly gravitating towards making images where she was able to see herself. It wasn’t until years into her practice that she realized how important it is for people to see the beauty in black women – to see what she sees (Murrell, 15:58). Murrell utilizes patterned paper and paper cutting methods to adorn her figures in ways that are beautiful and pleasing to view. She wants her work to be a point of rest for both herself as the creator and for her audience. Recognizing how chaotic and stressful life is, Murrell wants to create a sense of peacefulness as one gazes as a black female silhouette (Murrell, 11:17). In doing this, she situates black women as a source and site of repose.
This simple re – interpretation of the black female form is the antithesis of many stereotypes that exist regarding black women, which characterizes them at times as angry or complicated. However, Murrell doesn’t concern herself with directly depicting these complications, or focus on combatting them. Instead, she offers a refreshing way to experience black women. She depicts them as the source and locus for beauty, peace and rest. She is intentional about the pattern work that she utilizes in her work; she wants the work to be imagery that calms the mind. Early in her career, one of the only black papercutting visual artists that she knew of was Kara Walker, whose work Murrell says can induce depression and anxiety because of its subject matter. Because she came to art to find a place of rest, she wanted to create an art that still focuses on black female subjectivity but with the intentional approach of depicting black women as beautiful, calming, and with the intentions to evoke a sense of serenity. These two works that I examine are what Murrell calls “intimate” smaller works (Murrell, personal communication, 2018). They are made with Japanese Chiyogami paper and are part of a new series that she is preparing to debut to the public and present for sale.
Wherever You Go I Will Be With You depicts two deep blue figures that are facing each other. Their heads are bowed in unison, in a prayer-like stance. The simplistic silhouettes of the figures are contrasted by the clothing and background which are lush in vibrancy and intricacy. The figures are framed in front of a yellow background that has various blue-green pattern work which fill up what would have been negative space. Navigating those various patterns are a flock of white birds, flying in all different directions. It appears that the two figures are sharing an intimate moment in a quiet place, when suddenly a sound scatters the birds that a moment before may have been resting. The birds are in motion, but the two figures remain still. Draped in colorful robes, the pattern of the clothing provides the viewer with another set of surface decorations. The foundation of the clothing are color blocks of a gold material and is contrasted by blocks of red fabric that is filled with orange rippling swirls. These swirls elicit a sense of movement, which compliments the movement of the birds in the background. Layered on top of this patterned robing are bouquets of white and pink flowers.
Although this image appears too busy when considering the various patterns and colors, there is an inherent balance that it exudes. This may be because the two figures mirror each other, providing a sense of symmetry and coherence. Murrell positions the two figures in a way that shows that they are in agreement with one other, an interpretation supported by the affirming title of the work of art. With both heads bowed, the audience can deduce that they are in a meditative state. The allusions of Japanese cut paper craft, along with the robes that resemble kimonos in their print and draping fashion, suggests to the audience that something deeply significant is taking place between the two. Kimonos are traditionally worn on special occasions, and the intimate stance of the two figures coupled with the title of the painting are indicative that they are sharing a serious and sacred moment together.