Writing Art History Since 2002

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The Californian artist is still going strong after a prolific career  

Kara Walker will be honoured with the 2018 Contemporary Vision award on Oct 3rd 2018 at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

The award, which is organized by the Modern Art Council – a SFMOMA art experience group, celebrates the extraordinary creative minds who have helped redefine contemporary visual culture.

The California – born and Atlanta – raised artist is best known for her silhouetted figures which have been exhibited worldwide. Walker appeared on the art scene over 20 years ago with her mural ‘Gone, an historical romance of a civil war as it occurred between the dusky thighs of one young negress and her heart’.

Walker can be viewed as a history painter with a unique twist – with her work attempting to expose hateful racial fantasies and stereotypes. Through her confronting and candid storytelling, she challenges race, gender, sexuality, violence and social and economic inequalities in the modern world.

 

Kara Walker, No mere words can Adequately reflect the Remorse this Negress feels at having been Cast into such a lowly state by her former Masters and so it is with a Humble heart that she brings about their physical Ruin and earthly Demise, 1999. Courtesy of SFMOMA. https://www.sfmoma.org/artwork/2000.306.1-2 Kara Walker, No mere words can Adequately reflect the Remorse this Negress feels at having been Cast into such a lowly state by her former Masters and so it is with a Humble heart that she brings about their physical Ruin and earthly Demise, 1999. Courtesy of SFMOMA. https://www.sfmoma.org/artwork/2000.306.1-2

 

She revived the tradition of European painting by creating scenes based on history, literature and the bible – relevant to the contemporary world. Her choice of lengthy literary titles also highlight the historical significance of her work.

Walker’s work is included in the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art and the Tate London, amongst others major collections.

Sara Moneer Khan

FEATURED IMAGE: Portrait of Kara Walker; photo: Ari Marcopoulos. Courtesy of SFMOMA https://www.sfmoma.org/event/2018-cva-kara-walker/

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