Given this University's recent racial controversies and hate crime incidents, an exhibit entitled "Looking Forward/Looking Black," currently on display at the Tufts Art Gallery, is both powerful, and extremely timely.
Through the work of more than fifteen artists, the exhibit examines issues of race, representation, and African-American cultural identity over the last century. "Looking Black" spans the gallery's top floor, with beautifully displayed images and pictures giving form to many topics taught at Tufts. In addition to its eight-week long display, the exhibit is complemented by four lectures that explore racial themes.
Focusing on the distinct representations of the black body in the last century in film, pictures, and paintings, the exhibit is reflective but also looks optimistically forward to a future free of racial stereotypes. All of the works examine the images and metaphors of the black form, with many artists employing humor to confront racial stereotypes. Some works even embrace them, like Renee Cox's "Liberation of Lady J & U.B." Her piece depicts boxes of Aunt Jemima pancake mix and Uncle Ben's rice in the background of the painting, and then transforms the two images into modern superheroes.
Also on display is the work of Robert Colescott, which ridicules past racist caricatures of African Americans. The exhibit features different mediums, including photography, painting, and sculpture and delves into such subjects as interracial marriage, homosexuality, slavery, and the role of women in society.
Joanna Soltan, the assistant director of the Tufts Art Gallery, is extremely pleased that "Looking Forward/Looking Black" chose Tufts as one of its stops in the north east. The exhibit has planned appearances throughout the United States.
"We are only one of two venues for this exhibit in New England," she said. "It stopped at Tufts first, and will go on to Wesleyan after our display is over."
"Looking Black" debuted at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in New York in 1999. Christina Elizabeth Sharpe, an associate professor of English at Tufts, helped bring the exhibit to campus, and has been pleased with its reception.
"Although it has only been on display for a few weeks," Soltan said, "there have already been several classes that have visited and toured the exhibit."
If the high attendance of the first related lecture is any indication of the success of "Looking Forward/Looking Black," it is clear that the exhibit will have a significant impact on the Tufts community. Carrie Mae Weems, one of the featured artists, spoke on Tuesday about her artwork and the events that inspired her to recreate slave photographs. Weems said that the original images were demeaning mug shots of male and female subjects stripped from the waist so that they appear "incriminated." She reclaimed the pictures, lightened the colors, and placed them in simple frames so that the viewer can see compelling photographs minus the racist aspects of criminality.
Weems artwork is just one of the many examples of the thought-provoking and controversial art that "Looking Forward/Looking Black" has to offer.
"Looking Forward/Looking Black" is on display at the Tufts Art Gallery located inside the Aidekman Art Center until Dec. 10. The Gallery is open Wednesday-Saturday from 12 p.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m.-5 p.m.
