Danielle Scotts' exhibition

 

Lofsna Raymond

Prof. Cacoilo

Art263

02/15/2023

 

                                                        Danielle Scott exhibition 

 

            Danielle Scott’s exhibition presents her commitment to social commentary and ancestral storytelling. The artist spent time researching, visiting plantation all over the United States and documenting in order to be able to relate to these stories and envision them in these works. Danielle feels a calling to do this work, she feels it is her duty to tell the stories of ancestors, warriors, of love, sadness, and resilience. This kinfolk collection includes photographs, delicate papers, reprinted documents to create the lineage of black families through all the generations.

            Scott is a culturally curious explorer, activist and artist that’s deeply involved in the history and spirits of her people. The artist uses her research, her love for exploring, to tell these unheard stories, to give them exposure and put faces behind the voices. In past work, Danielle addressed the stereotypes, racism, and gun violence that her people went through. Instead of continuing with her usual work, the most recent work portrays stories of women celebrating triumph and that are in position of power.

            The exhibition was inspiring, moving and very detailed. The show was a brilliant way to showcase art and activism as well as the joy of black people. Often there’s always this stigma around black people’s life that’s being tied to struggle, the deep-rooted fear that black people are violent, animalistic, and dangerous. Of course, there’s violence within every community but to make the assumption that every black person is dangerous is just wrong and harmful. Danielle did a wonderful job of showcasing the opposite, she instead took it upon herself to portray the lives of black folks through success, and enjoyment. She uses her background and the knowledge from the extensive research that she’s done to demonstrate these different perspectives of mothers, sons, daughters, to show unison and as well as educate you.

            “Art allows us to say things that can’t be said, to give form to abstract feelings and ideas and present them in such ways that can be communicated with others.” The art of activism. “Poetry is the way to help give name to the nameless so it can be thought” Audre Lorde, feminist writer.

“Dismantling and changing patriarchal culture is work women and men must do together.” Bell hooks

 

This quote relates to this art piece and artist because her artwork speaks for themselves and makes you feel, see things that you wouldn’t otherwise through others, because each piece has their own unique style and voice.  

Throughout all the artwork from the show, two of them spoke to me and took me into a trance. Each of her works from the Kinfolk exhibition had their own story to tell, each work had something special about them that was able to pull you in and make you see it for what it really was. One of her works that resonated with me was “Queen of Angels, mixed medium assemblage on vintage ironing board.” The artwork is beautifully made, she uses all these printed documents to send out messages and photographs of different people on her shirt to create a story. She then uses this gold, almost crown like to convey the importance of this woman, to show her impact, impact she directly might have had in the artists life or in her community. From solely looking at the name of the artwork, I can conclude that this woman knew her way around, she had a lot going on for herself, the word angles in the art piece could inform how involved she might have been in the community and how she passionate about aiding others and being the voice for the unspoken. What I also like about this piece is her walk/demeanor in the photograph. Its portraits her walking with her briefcase as if she’s on the way to handle business. Her stance in the photo can be deemed as powerful.

Another one of her artworks that spoke to me was “Cecilia and Bazile Churchill, mixed medium assemblage and resin.” This artwork resembles a woman and kid standing close to each other, there’s an unseen embrace as they both are smiling and radiating happiness. Looking at the art piece, I can conclude that these two people are related, they resemble royalty, and in great power. It seems as if the woman could be the child’s grandmother, they are both wearing fine clothing with different prints and the woman is dripped gold, fine jewelry as the child is covered in pearls. It gives off the idea that the position that the woman is now in will later on be passed down to the child as they reach a certain age.

I would say that this exhibition is without a doubt a work of activism because it’s alluring and gets you to have difficult conversations, evokes emotions and tough thoughts.

  Queen of Angels 2020

 Cecelia and Bazille Churchill, 2022