Kara Walker’s (b. 1969, American)
work deals with themes of power,
repression, race, history, and sexuality.
Walker employs jet-black cut-out
silhouettes of figures to express these
ideas. Commissioned as part of the
Peter Norton Family Christmas Project,*
the popup book tells the story of a young
black woman who has recently been
emancipated after the Civil War, but
dreams of “going back to Africa.” In the
artist’s construction of the fable, Walker
questions the realities of what freedom
means and whether one can be free
in a ruling-class society. Through her
process of combining visceral imagery
and narrative, the artist reveals that which
is often left unspoken and misconstrued
about race.
–Affinities and Outliers: Highlights from the University at Albany Fine Art Collections

–American Playlist: Selections From The University At Albany Art Collections