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Lot Essay
Executed the year after she was awarded the illustrious MacArthur fellowship and featured in the Whitney Biennial, Master and Slave, Together Building a Model for the Future interrogates complex racial narratives, elucidating the varied levels of violence African Americans were subjected to. Featuring Kara Walker’s characteristically silhouetted figures, the present work critically examines the contentious nature of miscegenation in the Antebellum South, granting a window into the dynamics between slave owners and the women whose lives they controlled. Walker’s oeuvre is populated by a cast of easily recognizable archetypes, with this painting incorporating the Negress, the stereotype with which she most closely relates to.
The artist has crafted a scene steeped with tension but still manages to infuse humor into the black and white composition. Walker’s choice to incorporate the silhouette into her work stemmed from the need for a relatively benign vehicle through which to explore her characters. The artistic practice arose as part of a neoclassical revival in the late 18th and early 19th century, becoming a popular medium through which to capture one’s likeness. The silhouette was also closely associated with the practice of physiognomy. Walker inventively reflects on this long and unfortunate history, constructing a scene where the identities of her characters are obvious despite being presented in black, inviting the viewer to reflect on their own preconceptions of race.
The Negress is typically a seductive character, oftentimes benefiting from engaging in sexual relations with the master. Within Master and Slave, the artist has overturned the conventional power dynamic, placing this young woman in a position of dominance. Her pigtails and tattered attire cue the viewer in to her identity as a slave, while her pronounced breast hints at the potential source of her newfound authority. She accusatorily points a finger at a man carrying a baby, which may be the result of their previous affair. He gazes up at her in mild deference, appearing to acknowledge the altered dynamics of their relationship. The artist does not neglect to inject humor into this difficult scene, placing an “M” by the Negress’ head. This perhaps marks her as the master or alludes to the ‘model’ they have built. Whether that model is their child or the unbalanced relationship they now share is intentionally left ambiguous.
What makes Walker’s work so intriguing is the complete absence of facial expression and contextual clues. Looking upon these anonymous figures, one gleans that they are experiencing a disturbing scenario that historically occurred with frequency. The identities of these three do not matter so much as the narrative that they represent. Walker does crucial work, uncovering buried and uncomfortable facets of American history while tugging at the strings of society’s subconscious biases. Master and Slave, Together Building a Model for the Future is a necessary component of this pursuit, baring its veracity and advancing the process of healing from the past.
The artist has crafted a scene steeped with tension but still manages to infuse humor into the black and white composition. Walker’s choice to incorporate the silhouette into her work stemmed from the need for a relatively benign vehicle through which to explore her characters. The artistic practice arose as part of a neoclassical revival in the late 18th and early 19th century, becoming a popular medium through which to capture one’s likeness. The silhouette was also closely associated with the practice of physiognomy. Walker inventively reflects on this long and unfortunate history, constructing a scene where the identities of her characters are obvious despite being presented in black, inviting the viewer to reflect on their own preconceptions of race.
The Negress is typically a seductive character, oftentimes benefiting from engaging in sexual relations with the master. Within Master and Slave, the artist has overturned the conventional power dynamic, placing this young woman in a position of dominance. Her pigtails and tattered attire cue the viewer in to her identity as a slave, while her pronounced breast hints at the potential source of her newfound authority. She accusatorily points a finger at a man carrying a baby, which may be the result of their previous affair. He gazes up at her in mild deference, appearing to acknowledge the altered dynamics of their relationship. The artist does not neglect to inject humor into this difficult scene, placing an “M” by the Negress’ head. This perhaps marks her as the master or alludes to the ‘model’ they have built. Whether that model is their child or the unbalanced relationship they now share is intentionally left ambiguous.
What makes Walker’s work so intriguing is the complete absence of facial expression and contextual clues. Looking upon these anonymous figures, one gleans that they are experiencing a disturbing scenario that historically occurred with frequency. The identities of these three do not matter so much as the narrative that they represent. Walker does crucial work, uncovering buried and uncomfortable facets of American history while tugging at the strings of society’s subconscious biases. Master and Slave, Together Building a Model for the Future is a necessary component of this pursuit, baring its veracity and advancing the process of healing from the past.