Critical Analysis of Kara Walker
Dr. Jones
HUM1020
March 30, 2014
Critical Analysis of Kara Walker
Kara Walker is an artist that is known for exploring controversial themes of race, gender, sexuality, and violence. She is best known for her appropriation of the silhouettes, which she has used in room-sized installations, sculptures, and smaller works on paper (artnet.com). Her art work is very criticized based on the themes that she illustrates. Kara Walker is a very accomplished artist though. She was the youngest person to accept the MacArthur Foundation Scholarship and she received her BFA from the Atlanta College of art, and her MFA from Rhode Island School of Design. Her controversial art has been exhibited in many major institutions (artnet.com).
When looking at Kara’s artistic work one piece stuck out to me and it is Testimony #3 2005(kennethafriedman.com). This piece shows a struggle between races the devilish man on the horse is what I believe to be a white man. It looks as though he has a gun pointing to the air and the man in front of the horse is what I believe to be a slave. The slave looks to be chained and shackled and depressed or sad. When looking at this piece of art I can only think that this is sad and what slave owners looked like to the slaves. The white slave owner seems to be in the shape of a devil and that’s really what he may have looked like on the inside.
The title of this piece is Testimony #3 2005, I’m not so sure I understand the reason for this title but looking at the art piece it may just be the slaves story or “testimony” as to what had happened . As you can see this piece is done from silhouettes so some of the features of this art work is different. It looks a lot like just shadows which allows you to be able to wonder what the characters actually look like or what emotions may be on their faces. The reason for this art is to maybe remind people of what it was like to be a slave or maybe to even tell the story of one man’s struggle. This piece is a
HUM1020
March 30, 2014
Critical Analysis of Kara Walker
Kara Walker is an artist that is known for exploring controversial themes of race, gender, sexuality, and violence. She is best known for her appropriation of the silhouettes, which she has used in room-sized installations, sculptures, and smaller works on paper (artnet.com). Her art work is very criticized based on the themes that she illustrates. Kara Walker is a very accomplished artist though. She was the youngest person to accept the MacArthur Foundation Scholarship and she received her BFA from the Atlanta College of art, and her MFA from Rhode Island School of Design. Her controversial art has been exhibited in many major institutions (artnet.com).
When looking at Kara’s artistic work one piece stuck out to me and it is Testimony #3 2005(kennethafriedman.com). This piece shows a struggle between races the devilish man on the horse is what I believe to be a white man. It looks as though he has a gun pointing to the air and the man in front of the horse is what I believe to be a slave. The slave looks to be chained and shackled and depressed or sad. When looking at this piece of art I can only think that this is sad and what slave owners looked like to the slaves. The white slave owner seems to be in the shape of a devil and that’s really what he may have looked like on the inside.
The title of this piece is Testimony #3 2005, I’m not so sure I understand the reason for this title but looking at the art piece it may just be the slaves story or “testimony” as to what had happened . As you can see this piece is done from silhouettes so some of the features of this art work is different. It looks a lot like just shadows which allows you to be able to wonder what the characters actually look like or what emotions may be on their faces. The reason for this art is to maybe remind people of what it was like to be a slave or maybe to even tell the story of one man’s struggle. This piece is a
Cited: "Kara Walker (American, 1969) ." Kara Walker on Artnet. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. http://www.artnet.com/artists/kara-walker/ "Kara Walker, American (1969-) Testimony #3." Kara Walker, American (1969-) Testimony #3. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. http://www.kennethafriedman.com