Art on a Sunday.

On Sunday I went on a museum date, with myself. Bought myself flowers at the end and everything. The purpose of my outing was to lift myself from the COVID-induced funk I’ve been stuck in for a while as well as to see artist and professor Jordan Casteel’s first solo exhibition titled “Within Reach” at the New Museum. It’s on view until 1/3/2021 and if you’re comfortable getting out of the house for a bit, I highly recommend it.

A piece of a piece of Jordan's work
I love how she paints hands

I walked into the museum and started from the top (not the bottom like Drake) and while working my way down from the 4th floor, I discovered the work of Peter Saul. A California-based artist, Saul’s work was dedicated to uplifting social causes both at home in America and abroad. Starting with abroad, Saul heavily criticized US involvement in the Vietnam war, painting lots of pieces with exaggerated figures and bright colors for the purpose of shocking the viewer out of complacency. 

In the late 1960s, Saul turned his lens to domestic imperialism and social injustices running rampant in the states, specifically as it pertained to African-Americans and the Black Panther Party. The first piece that struck me from his series on this topic, titled “Self Defense,” was painted in 1969. It depicts cops attacking the Party from all sides, while also fetishizing the women of the Party. Little known to the public,Black women actually made up a large part of the Party while being subjugated for the men. Though men were placed in more public, prominent roles, Black women were the Party’s backbone. In Saul’s work, there are also two assholes, one spewing both “rich” shit and the other loosing “poor” shit. This leads the viewer to ponder how government oppression should affect us all, rich or poor. It’s all shit we need to deal with, no matter how personally or indirectly you are affected. If it doesn’t touch you specifically, you benefit from it. Everyone has a part to play. 

"Self-Defense"

The next work that struck me most was his depiction of THE Angela Davis, specifically during her imprisonment at San Quentin for her alleged participation in a courtroom hostage situation that ended in multiple deaths. The piece has Davis on her back, splayed across the prison, with police pigs hanging from crosses penetrating her body in very purposeful places: the top of her sternum, right above her breasts, the bottom of her sternum, right below her breasts, and as high up between her legs as you could possibly go without puncturing her torso. The pigs are wearing what looks like graduation caps that say “Justis,” “Munny,” and “Powur,” respectively. Two of the three also have syringes stuck until the rendering of Miss Davis, one saying “Eeckwality” stuck in her thigh, the other saying “Freedum” injecting straight into her neck. This is all such powerful imagery showing how convoluted simple human rights can be. 

"Angela Davis #1"

After taking in the work of Peter Saul, I went down to the 2nd floor and strolled slowly through Jordan Casteel’s pieces. Walking onto that floor and seeing a portrait of Casteel’s student, Kimmah, who could quite literally have been me two years ago (I had long ombré blond box braids and everything), made my heart swell. As a Black woman with an affinity for art, I will never be able to get over the joy I instantaneously feel when I see a piece that looks like me. It will never lose its gravitas. 

"Kimmah"

A Black woman artist depicting Black women, Black men, and Black people and our personal rituals on this high a public platform is revolutionary. Black beauty by Black artists being exhibited in general or the public to get a glimpse into through an exhibit entirely of her own making is, as we’ve learned from The Guerrilla Girls, done not nearly often enough. This however, is definitely an excellent step in the right direction. I’ll let these next few photos speak primarily for themselves. 

Head held high, and with such confidence
Back when life was "normal"

"Amina"
So many hours of a Black girl's life can be spent in a shop just like this

Saw this and thought of a fashionable, Black friend "I found you in a painting" 

 

Again what a powerful feeling to see yourself and all aspects of your Blackity Black life represented on canvas for the world to see. Ironically getting back out onto the streets of Soho brought on anxiety at the sheer amount of people who seem to think this country is out of the global pandemic we are NOT, in fact, out of. Nevertheless, I’ll say it loud, I’m Black and I’m proud. 

xx