A Subtlety by Kara Walker, an artist currently living in New York, may be a sculpture modelled after the ancient sphinx, but it represents slave laborers rather than the good old days of Egypt and Greece. In place of a more abstract human head, the body of this lion is topped with a towering stereotypical black face. In particular, it pays tribute to those who have worked sugar cane fields.
Made out of 160,000 pounds of bleached sugar, A Subtlety by Kara Walker is currently on display at the old Domino sugar factory shed in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. A powerful work meant to address racial and sexual exploitation, Beautiful Decay writes, "This black female figure has been pressured, against nature, into succumbing to whiteness." The sphinx represents treachery and mercilessness after all.
Female Slave Sphinx
A Subtlety by Kara Walker is Made Out of 160,000 Pounds of Sugar
Trend Themes
1. Art as Social Commentary - A trend towards art that addresses important societal issues and raises awareness.
2. Material Innovation - Innovative use of materials and techniques to create eye-catching and thought-provoking works of art.
3. Diversity and Inclusion - A push towards increasing representation and inclusion in the art world, particularly for artists of color and underrepresented groups.
Industry Implications
1. Art and Culture - A call for artists and curators working within the art industry to create works that address important societal issues and promote representation and inclusion.
2. Materials Science - Exploration of alternative materials for artistic expression and experimentation with techniques for manipulating them to produce unique works of art.
3. Social Justice and Activism - The incorporation of art into activism and social justice movements, as a tool for raising awareness and inspiring change.