Kara Walker Essay, Research Paper

?@?@?@?@?@Kara Walker produces mural-sized, paper cutout silhouettes to create a dense caustic narrative of nineteenth-century, antebellum slavery. She details the black-paper cutouts with stereotypical characters –pickaninnies, sambos, mammies, slave mistresses, and masters. My first impression of her work is that she elegantly portrays scenes from African American?fs plantation life; however, I became aware that sexual, violent, and scatological images are represented repeatedly in her landscapes. She exaggerates the grotesque history of slavery and race relations in America.

?@?@?@?@?@Foremost of all, I agree with older Blacks?f feelings of fear regarding the inclusion of slavery as a part of their history, and the use of stereotypes to detonate ancient equations of racism. Older generations cannot explain stereotypical imagery except with malice and hate. Betye Saar?fs negative opinion of Walker convinced me; she believes that Walker stoops to accommodate the White art world to ensure her financial success (MacArthur Foundation Achievement Award). Saar has fought to suppress stereotypes through the empowerment of these icons, and her artwork arouses sympathy from black compatriots. This can be seen in her work, The Liberation of Aunt Jemima. It seems that Walker?fs illustration of contorting slave imagery resuscitates noxious racial perceptions which Saar and other social activists try to deny.

?@?@?@?@?@After I had Ms. Cahan?fs lecture, and during the following class discussion, I clearly grasped the meaning of Walker?fs intention, ?gChange the Joke and Slip the Yoke,?h and the reasons for controversy surrounding her ambitious work. I am

aware that Walker does not accommodate herself to the White society that once shared the belief that slavery was justifiable. Her use of stereotypical and devastating imagery becomes a weapon, and she seems to avenge the past sins of the society in which she creates her work.

?@?@?@?@?@For African Americans, the pain of racism is everpresent, and Walker’s world is devoid of the sinless and the passive black victim. Walker mines the source of this discomfort from submerged history and goes so deep that everyone is involved. She knows that stereotypes have not disappeared: they have only been hidden.

?@?@?@?@?@The animated figures of her cut-paper wall murals attempt to change a painful past into satire. Consequently, African Americans can conquer a fear of racism in which the themes of power and exploitation continue to have deep meaning for them in contemporary American society. Using humor, they digest the indigestible agony. Furthermore, nothing can be eradicated, nor can their pain be suppressed by looking back tragic events. ?@Walker?fs shocking narrative is a powerful heeling process of dealing with slavery. Younger generations who were born after the Civil Rights Movements may have instinct for destroy the fear because they are proud of themselves being black; they are brought up as ?gBlack is beautiful.?h

?@?@?@?@?@As she has turned the art world upside down and involved the African American society with her work, I understand how art can lift people above the problem and change lives. I would like to say that artist must recognize this point and have responsibility to own artwork. Artist sometimes plays an important part in the social issue.