Dr. Ellis-Williams’ artwork told a story of what it was like to be a minority person in America, especially a woman of color in America. As you went through each art piece the story got clearer and clearer, the unjust behavior exhibited to those who bare darker skin. The two works I chose from the Burn exhibit were Black on Black on Black on Black on Black on Black on Black and her main art piece. I chose these two art pieces because I feel as though they are mirrors to one another. One is full of color and the other is darkness. These two pieces give you both sides of the coin of a black woman, one side is what people think of when they first see a black woman, the world’s perception of them, and who they believe they are, their own personal perception of themselves.
The Black on Black on Black on Black on Black on Black on Black is the first piece of work you come across when you first enter the exhibit. At first glance, it looks like a solid black canvas, but upon further study, you see that there are multiple layers to the painting. Dr. Ellis-Williams made her own paint and layered each individual color to create a three-dimensional artwork that tells the under-told story of a person of color. The more you look at the painting the more layers you can discover, but this work can only be enjoyed up close. From afar you can’t see the layers that tell the story of the struggle people of color, especially black women have to face every time they step out of their homes. John Berger says, “A person may notice a particular image or piece of information because it corresponds to some particular interest he has,” to me this quote relates to this work of art because seeing this painting can be like staring at your reflection. Even though there aren’t vibrant colors and intricate designs to test the eye the Black on Black piece works the eyes and brain in a different way. It shows you the perspective of people and how they see black women.
The second art piece is what I think the main part of the exhibit is, it is the hanging artwork of thread and yarn and clothesline pines. This piece draws the viewer's eyes directly towards it, the size of the piece and the colors she chose to use tell the story of how Dr. Ellis-Williams believes she and other women of color are perceived from themselves. The top of the piece is intricately woven together where there isn’t much space between the yarn. The tight knots allude to how women, especially women of color need to hold themselves together and can never fall apart no matter what is going on in their life. But as you get further and further down the artwork you see the yarn go from one individual work to multiple strands to when you finally reach the bottom almost all the yarn has completely unwoven itself. The PDF Understanding Patriarchy, it states, “A great majority of individuals enforce an unspoken rule in the culture as a whole that demands we keep the secrets of patriarchy, thereby protecting the rule of the father.” Even though the quote talks about keeping the secrets of patriarchy for the father or the secrets of the unperfect homelife due to underlying circumstances caused by the head of household, this can relate to this piece can relate because I believe this piece represents how women need to uphold themselves to the standard of men even if it means they unravel their inner being.
The background of the main piece ties in what it really means to be a woman, all the powerful things and people who have carved the path of individuality and walking to the beat of your own drum. Some of the names and people listed behind the art piece are, “Rosa Parks, Rihanna, Betty Shabaz, Queer Black Radical, and Daughters of the Dust,” to name just a few. These names of women of color are powerful that shaped the path for those behind them. Rosa Parks refusing to give her seat up, Rihanna dominating the music and now makeup industry, using people of color and different sizes to showcase her makeup and clothing line, and Queer Black Radical, saying that you can be who you are and you don’t have to be afraid. Kimberly Drew said, “I knew the power of representation and tried to leverage the image in a way that felt authentic.” Having every person and race represented in a realistic and respectful way is what will make industries like music and makeup and everyday life like riding the bus and loving who you want becoming more authentic and raw.
Both of these are pieces that captivate activism to the fullest, Dr. Ellis-Williams tells the story of being a woman of color in a world built by a man. She tells the story of the struggle of trying to conform to the outlines that make her the “perfect” woman, but as we go through her work we see the story unravel of it being okay to not conform to social norms and being who you were always meant to be.
silhouette.
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