New Exhibition: Stargazers at the Bronx Museum
A new exhibition presents artist Elizabeth Catlett in conversation with 21 contemporary artists. Our friend Isolde Brielmaier curated the exhibition that opens Jan. 27 to May 29 at the Bronx Museum of Arts.
Catlett is a renowned 95-year-old sculptor, painter and print maker, who has received the Lifetime Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award, International Sculpture Center.
The participating artists include: Sanford Biggers, iona rozeal brown, Patty Chang, Patricia Coffie, Renee Cox, Sam Durant, Lalla Essaydi, Ellen Gallagher and Edgar Cleijne, Kalup Linzy, Kerry James Marshall, Wardell Milan, Wangechi Mutu, Wanda Raimundi- Ortiz, Robert Pruitt , Xaviera Simmons, Shinique Smith, Hank Willis Thomas, Mickalene Thomas, Roberto Visani and Carrie Mae Weems.
Elizabeth Cattlet is a Black artist living and working in NY and Mexico. She’s been living there for the past 60 years and yet there is no reference what so ever about that countries influence on Ms. Cattlet’s work in the Bronx Museum show Stargazers which consists of mostly Black contemporary artists whose work has very little to do with Ms.Cattlet’s work in the first place.
Some of the strongest examples of artists who’ve been influenced by Eizabeth Cattlet are Kerry James Marshall, Carrie Mae Weems and Robert Pruitt except Robert Pruitt’s commissioned t-shirt drawing “negro es bello” was a weak interpretation at Black is Beautiful because it was designed as a product rather than pushing any already preconceived assumptions of corporatized Black bodies. Kerry James Marshall is a mid career artist whose work has many direct links to Cattlet aesthetically but more so in content. Positive examples of Black people and community through painting. Carrie Mae Weems work has also had the same impact on society in that it provokes one to reconsider the Black body not as popular culture entertainment but as a human being. Then there are the weak links that one has to question why they were even considered. Shinique Smith whose work investigates the aesthetics of graffiti art but without any criticality? Kalup Linzy whose work investigates cross dressing by promoting stereotypes of Black gay men? Xaviera Simmons whose entire body of work is a reflection of victimization rather than self determination? Wangechi Mutu whose paintings, drawings are so aesthetically stimulating because they lack any substance or serious content? Mickalene Thomas whose work is really about female fetish for other females? It seems like everyone was selected from the Studio Museum in Harlem’s last 5 years of exhibitions while excluding anyone from New Jersey or any other State or City. It is sad to see such a great opportunity lost to self indulgence and grand standing by many of these young artists who know nothing of Elizabeth Cattlet’s work or her sacrifice.
Elizabeth Cattlet is a Black artist living and working in NY and Mexico. She’s been living there for the past 60 years and yet there is no reference what so ever about that countries influence on Ms. Cattlet’s work in the Bronx Museum show Stargazers which consists of mostly Black contemporary artists whose work has very little to do with Ms.Cattlet’s work in the first place.
Some of the strongest examples of artists who’ve been influenced by Eizabeth Cattlet are Kerry James Marshall, Carrie Mae Weems and Robert Pruitt except Robert Pruitt’s commissioned t-shirt “negro es bello” was a weak interpretation at Black is Beautiful because the work was designed to reflect a product. Kerry James Marshall is a mid career artist whose work has many direct links to Cattlet aesthetically but more so in content. Positive examples of Black people and community through painting. Carrie Mae Weems work has also had the same impact on society in that it provokes one to reconsider the Black body not as popular culture entertainment but as a human being. Then there are the weak links that one has to question why they were even considered. Shinique Smith whose work investigates the aesthetics of graffiti art but without any criticality? Kalup Linzy whose work investigates cross dressing by promoting stereotypes of Black gay men? Xaviera Simmons whose entire body of work is a reflection of victimization rather than self determination? Wangechi Mutu whose paintings, drawings are so aesthetically stimulating because they lack any substance or serious content? Mickalene Thomas whose work is really about female fetish for other females? It seems like everyone was selected from the Studio Museum in Harlem’s last 5 years of exhibitions while excluding anyone from New Jersey or any other State or City. It is sad to see such a great opportunity lost to self indulgence and grand standing by many of these young artists who know nothing of Elizabeth Cattlet’s work or her sacrifice.