Bisa Butler Gallery Exhibit
Didactic
Bisa Butler’s work is inspired by the lack of representation of African- Americans in U.S history. Bisa has made it her goal to represent her ancestors in a positive and luxurious light. She uses textiles consisting of vibrant colors to make up her portraits. Textiles, similar to the subjects of her work, have also been a marginalized medium within the art community. All of these works represent the folks that help build this country, yet were erased from its history.
When walking through this gallery, notice how different each portrait is from one another. Each is full of life and personality. All of these portraits are positioned almost directly in front of one another, making it almost as if each portrait is competing for the viewer’s attention. The viewer is immersed in different personalities and figures of American history- black citizens of the U.S. Seeing as Bisa used old photographs of real people, you can see the broadened sense of community, family, and even youth throughout this exhibit. This extensive range of influences allows this exhibit to be submerged in what is arguably the most authentic form of American culture.
Critique Worksheet
Photo used under Creative Commons from Ryan Dickey