Angela Ordonez
Art 263
Professor. Doris Cacoilo
October 19, 2023
This Is What I Know About Art - Essay
Kimberly Drew in her book “This is What I Know About Art” gives us a journey throughout her life from when she was a university student to her professional life, where she tells us much of her career through art and activism. Her autobiographical story helps to better understand how art and activism are born and, above all, why. For example, Kimberly narrates in her book that at the beginning art was not something that she felt could become part of her professional life, however it was a matter of time and experiences that led her to realize that her destiny was written the art world, and she would become a renowned activist, writer and curator. It was a paid internship at the Studio Museum in Harlem that guided her path and at the same time helped Drew in her training and specialization in art history, however, when she decided to change her major, she realized that many of the Black artists who had motivated and interested her in the field of art history were not present in her university classes nor were they names that her professors highlighted when teaching their classes. For Kimberly, realizing that the names of black artists were scarce in her courses was one of the main reasons that led her to create her own blog where she would begin to publish all of her knowledge about Black Art.
Authors, historians, and curators can also be activists in the following way: an author in his writings can leave phrases that encourage change in society, such as Carter G. Woodson, who is named in Drew's book “He wrote that “If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.” page 15. That was what increased Kimberly's hunger to transmit her knowledge to others because her desire was for the names of black artists to be remembered. One of the moments that seemed particularly fundamental and significant to me was when Kimberly was 23 years old and returned to the Studio Museum to manage her social networks and her main purpose in that position was to attract black audiences to visit the museum. During that time, she tells us about an event that filled her with anger and frustration, and that was that the Whitney Museum was organizing an art exhibition that year. She points out that of the 103 artists selected for the exhibition, only 9 were black and that the curatorial committee invited a white male artist known as Joe Scanlan to be at the biennial under the pseudonym Donelle Woolford “a fictional black artist who was brought to life by black actresses in Joe's Nomie” page 27. Drew also added that there is literature where this work is explained as a continuation of the tradition of the Minstrels show, that is, the racist performance of the black face that criticizes /ridicules black life for white audiences. Once that news reached the offices where Drew worked, she spoke to her supervisor at the time and asked for permission to post a Guerilla Girls piece on the Studio Museum's Tumblr page as a symbol of protest at the inclusion of Scanlan and the exclusion of several black artists who he knew deserved to be part of the exhibition. The reason why I personally consider this fact of utmost importance is because her method of activism through social media was highlighted here.
The exhibition Artists of Latin America Dreams and Possibilities was full of impressive art which connects with our discussions about art and activism in a way that, for example, there was a painting done by a young Colombian woman which was a flower from Colombia that sadly no longer exists today; this is what Kimberly Drew wanted that will not happen to the art of Black people. There could have been different reasons why the young woman decided to create that painting, among them so that people know that one day that type of flower existed in Colombia. Also, in the second gallery, in the same way, there was a painting done by Maria Lepianes about two small children who are her sons, and in the description, she said that it is a reflection of their innocence and transmitted a message that referred to the fact that childhood is something temporary, that goes away and disappears, and that painting is a beautiful way to remember that at some point they were that small. On the other hand, personally I think that curators can be activists in the way they transmit messages, for example by presenting the history of each work they can transmit their thoughts and beliefs about it.
Be An Island, 2021
Description of this work:
“Be An Island is about introspection and being in solitude. To me, becoming an island is important as a creative person, as a human operating in an overstimulating world. The recycled materials represent a connection to earth and feeling grounded.”
This work is very connected to the book The Art of Activism by Steve Duncombe and Steve Lambert, especially the second chapter titled “The Process” because it was mentioned there that to be creative, we need to have our own space since it is a moment where our brain he concentrates and is inspired. “Physical and mental space is key for creativity. A space away from the ordinary routines, obligations, and distractions of daily life” page 52.
Alexandra Álvarez
Let The Children Play, 2021
Description of this work:
“The art series "Let the Children Play" employs acrylics and a soothing blue color palette to raise a poignant protest against child abuse, advocating for a world where innocence and freedom thrive unburdened.”
I decided to place this painting here since it is art and activism at the same time. Although this is a beautiful painting, behind it there is an important and sad meaning. In some way I feel that this image connects with Bell Hooks' lecture of “patriarchy”, this is because Hooks, like Kimberly, gives a message to the audience by writing her own story and highlighting that both she and her little brother were raised in a way in which they were denied behaving and expressing themselves as “children.”
“He was taught that a boy should not express feelings. I was taught that girls could and should express feelings, or at least some of them. When I responded with rage at being denied a toy, I was taught as a girl in a patriarchal household that rage was not an appropriate feminine feeling, that it should be not only not expressed but be eradicated” Page 19.
Ray Arcadio
Remix, 2023
“Icons are the flags we plant to let everyone know we are here but also who we are and where we come from".
This quote is connected with activism and at the same time with Kimberly Drew's book in a way in which this work seeks to be recognized, seeks not to be invisible, and for people to know that they existed.
Works Cited:
- Kimberly Drew. "This Is What I Know About Art".
- Bell Hooks. "Patriarchy"
- Susan Sontag. "On Photography"
- Steve Duncombe, Steve Lambert. "The Art of Activism".
- Art Exhibition: Artistas de Latinoamerica Sueños y Posibilidades (Latin American Artists: Dreams and Possibilities)
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