...shortly after 8- beyond the bladez
Artist
Ebony G. Patterson
(Born in Kingston, Jamaica, 1981)
Date2014
MediumMixed media on paper
Dimensions92 × 111 inches (233.7 × 281.9 cm)
Sheet 1: 92 × 42 inches (233.7 × 106.7 cm)
Sheet 2: 92 × 41 inches (233.7 × 104.1 cm)
Sheet 3: 92 × 28 inches (233.7 × 71.1 cm)
Sheet 1: 92 × 42 inches (233.7 × 106.7 cm)
Sheet 2: 92 × 41 inches (233.7 × 104.1 cm)
Sheet 3: 92 × 28 inches (233.7 × 71.1 cm)
ClassificationsMixed Media
Credit LineMuseum purchase with additional funds provided by Blake Byrne (A.B.’57) and Marjorie (P’16, P’19, P’19) and Michael Levine (B.S.’84, P’16, P’19, P’19)
Object number2015.3.1
Collections
- MODERN & CONTEMPORARY
- WORKS ON PAPER
Label TextWithin this lush, vibrant scene, tall blades of grass and colorful vegetation cover the image’s surface and create a decadent, fantastical environment. Glitter, costume jewelry, and colorful fabric suggest a world of beauty and festivity, while the luscious, curving plants allude to growth and life. A closer look, however, reveals a more somber subject hidden behind the dazzling artifice: along the shiny red path is the unconscious body of a prostrate black male.
This work is one of a series of five that explores race, class, and gender, and investigates the politics of representations of young black men from disenfranchised communities who have been victims of violence. Using flashy everyday materials, Patterson draws on a distinctly Caribbean aesthetic inspired by local cultural traditions such as Carnival and Haitian Voodoo flags. The decorative patterning and luminous surfaces in her work encourage the viewer to look more carefully, shining new light on a marginalized subject.
This work is one of a series of five that explores race, class, and gender, and investigates the politics of representations of young black men from disenfranchised communities who have been victims of violence. Using flashy everyday materials, Patterson draws on a distinctly Caribbean aesthetic inspired by local cultural traditions such as Carnival and Haitian Voodoo flags. The decorative patterning and luminous surfaces in her work encourage the viewer to look more carefully, shining new light on a marginalized subject.
ProvenancePurchased from Monique Meloche Gallery, Chicago (2014). Monique Meloche Gallery acquired the work directly from the artist.