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Art
Washing Hands
Artist's work confronts racism, sexism and poverty
The words of Kentucky writer bell hooks inspired this piece of art by Angie Reed Garner.
By Javacia N. Harris
From Robert Penn Warren, one of the first poet laureates of the United States, to William Wells Brown, possibly America's first black novelist, Kentucky has bred some of the nation's most influential wordsmiths. Kentucky's long and rich history of literature and song has been celebrated this summer at the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft with "Visions from Voices: Art Inspired by Kentucky Poetry, Prose and Songwriting."
Organizers of the exhibit, which will run until Oct. 6, invited visual artists to create works inspired by the words of Kentucky authors and songwriters. The show includes work by artists from England, Canada, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee and, of course, Kentucky.
We recently talked to local artist Angie Reed Garner about her provocative piece, "for bell hooks," which boldly tackles issues of race, gender and class.
The piece contains vintage Aunt Jemima figures, German pincushion dolls, a bill of U.S. currency that Reed painted over, doll house furniture and fabric from a woman's polyester blouse. An Aunt Jemima paper towel roll sits in the middle, and above the piece stands the question, "Have U washed your hands."
What was it about bell hooks' work that inspired you to create the piece?
(I thought) bell hooks had to be in any show honoring Kentucky writers. She tells the truth about race, class and sexism in America. Her works are so useful in trying to understand how race and class and sexism affect our communities and our working and personal lives. She has stayed true to her roots.
How so?
She wrote to and for and about the people she loved. She authored texts that have great meaning for a whole, whole lot of folks. When I talk about her with my West Coast friends and colleagues and we use her works to try and understand something we are dealing with, I always kind of slip in "and she's from Kentucky!"
In your artist's statement you bluntly say you hate the Aunt Jemima image. Why is that and what would you say to people who argue that it is an important piece of Americana that should be proudly displayed?
I would say I don't relate to that kind of pride. Aunt Jemima is an image originally based on the crazy, racist delusions that blacks were happy as slaves and that black women were fit only for drudge work. Nancy Green was a Kentucky black woman, born into slavery. She was hired by R.T. Davis Milling Company to demo making pancakes at an 1893 expo in Chicago while playing the role of Aunt Jemima. The marketing campaigns featuring Green as Aunt Jemima were a hit, so Green got a lifelong contract. Her career enabled her to become an activist who worked against poverty. Nancy Green was a real person who used her situation to do good things, someone to know about and be proud of.
You normally focus on painting. Why did you go a different route for this particular piece?
I'm a painter first, but in the past three years I have been developing mixed media works using really charged stuff as art materials. I've torn up a lot of money and painted on it, which is a kick. You find out just how sacred money is when you deliberately destroy it. I've also worked with dolls and dollhouse furniture to look at femininity, the home and family.
What kinds of questions do you hope people ask themselves after seeing your piece?
I guess the obvious question is: Have I washed my hands? Have I decided to take a pass on doing anything about racism, sexism and poverty or am I doing something, whatever my capacity, to make things better?
Full Artist's Statement on bell hooks Piece
Angie Reed Garner Website
Art
Washing Hands
Artist's work confronts racism, sexism and poverty
The words of Kentucky writer bell hooks inspired this piece of art by Angie Reed Garner.
By Javacia N. Harris
From Robert Penn Warren, one of the first poet laureates of the United States, to William Wells Brown, possibly America's first black novelist, Kentucky has bred some of the nation's most influential wordsmiths. Kentucky's long and rich history of literature and song has been celebrated this summer at the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft with "Visions from Voices: Art Inspired by Kentucky Poetry, Prose and Songwriting."
Organizers of the exhibit, which will run until Oct. 6, invited visual artists to create works inspired by the words of Kentucky authors and songwriters. The show includes work by artists from England, Canada, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee and, of course, Kentucky.
We recently talked to local artist Angie Reed Garner about her provocative piece, "for bell hooks," which boldly tackles issues of race, gender and class.
The piece contains vintage Aunt Jemima figures, German pincushion dolls, a bill of U.S. currency that Reed painted over, doll house furniture and fabric from a woman's polyester blouse. An Aunt Jemima paper towel roll sits in the middle, and above the piece stands the question, "Have U washed your hands."
What was it about bell hooks' work that inspired you to create the piece?
(I thought) bell hooks had to be in any show honoring Kentucky writers. She tells the truth about race, class and sexism in America. Her works are so useful in trying to understand how race and class and sexism affect our communities and our working and personal lives. She has stayed true to her roots.
How so?
She wrote to and for and about the people she loved. She authored texts that have great meaning for a whole, whole lot of folks. When I talk about her with my West Coast friends and colleagues and we use her works to try and understand something we are dealing with, I always kind of slip in "and she's from Kentucky!"
In your artist's statement you bluntly say you hate the Aunt Jemima image. Why is that and what would you say to people who argue that it is an important piece of Americana that should be proudly displayed?
I would say I don't relate to that kind of pride. Aunt Jemima is an image originally based on the crazy, racist delusions that blacks were happy as slaves and that black women were fit only for drudge work. Nancy Green was a Kentucky black woman, born into slavery. She was hired by R.T. Davis Milling Company to demo making pancakes at an 1893 expo in Chicago while playing the role of Aunt Jemima. The marketing campaigns featuring Green as Aunt Jemima were a hit, so Green got a lifelong contract. Her career enabled her to become an activist who worked against poverty. Nancy Green was a real person who used her situation to do good things, someone to know about and be proud of.
You normally focus on painting. Why did you go a different route for this particular piece?
I'm a painter first, but in the past three years I have been developing mixed media works using really charged stuff as art materials. I've torn up a lot of money and painted on it, which is a kick. You find out just how sacred money is when you deliberately destroy it. I've also worked with dolls and dollhouse furniture to look at femininity, the home and family.
What kinds of questions do you hope people ask themselves after seeing your piece?
I guess the obvious question is: Have I washed my hands? Have I decided to take a pass on doing anything about racism, sexism and poverty or am I doing something, whatever my capacity, to make things better?
Full Artist's Statement on bell hooks Piece
Angie Reed Garner Website
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