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