Curatorial Activism; Drew and Jones
Emily Diaz
Our identities influence the way we see the world. The ways of seeing our existence are reflected in our own personal narratives, memories, and perception of self. Art can be representational of an inner voice being brought out and shown to the world. If voices are not being heard or represented, we aren't given the opportunity to share intimate factors of our lives with one another. This is What I Know About Art written by Kimberly Drew follows Drew’s recollection of self through art activism and the recontextualization of inner histories through understanding art as a whole. Drew’s book focuses on her expercines as a person of color who felt underrepresented growing up, now focusing on being a writer and curator to fix these issues.
Kimberly Drew’s book highlights her realizations and struggles through her artistic journey. She recalls finding Jean Micheal Basquiat and believing him to be the “Black Warhol” (Drew, 18). She questions how and why she had never seen this man's work before, yet she knows Andy Warhol just in passing. She recounts how “‘Jean Micheal Basquiat is absolutely not “the Black Warhol” as I naïvely thought – nor are there black versions of non-black artists. He was an artist in his own lane” (Drew, 19). Now Drew has educated herself on black artists who were previously not as represented to her, taking her time to put a spotlight on artists who she's found. She made her own path to pave the way and show artists she admires and believes deserve more recognition. She questions what museums do, what they show, and why they show it. She questions who goes to museums, and what they get from it. She contemplates; she writes these emotional moments, powerful actions and realizations in her book to share with others.
Curatorial activism brings intentional representation of diverse artists, highlighting voices that have been historically and systematically silenced or misrepresented. Showing exclusive attention to diverse artists and works themed around this diversity commits itself to going against the narratives of conformity in the art community.
While the work does not need to be solely about that diversity, it is usually shown through the experiences of the artist and their commentary of the world around them through their eyes. In the ARTnews article What Is Curatorial Activism, Maura Reilly expresses how “mainstream curators today must unlearn both racism and sexism”, while questioning if they have favored certain demographics of artists while ignoring others (Reilly). To be a historian, curator, artist and author, you should feel the need to challenge yourself, questioning your inclusivity and patterns of representation.
Being aware of social issues, socioeconomic factors of wherever you're curating, and general fact regarding the people viewing and showing the work can create a deeper comprehension of how to curate. Challenging historical inaccuracy through difference in perspective and lived experience will change the way we see the world.
Ben Jones’ work encapsulates the importance of cultural identity and understanding your background. Jones reinforces the connection with his heritage as he, a man of color, uses aspects from African and American culture in his art to blend a plethora of aesthetics and themes unique to his identity. In their book The Art of Activism, Your All-Purpose Guide to Making the Impossible Possible, Steve Duncombe and Steve Lambert describe how “Artistic activism is more than just an innovative tactic, it is an entire approach: a perspective, a practice, a philosophy” (Duncombe, Lambert, 12-13 ). Ben Jones deliberately uses his experiences, philosophy about the world, and history to construct his work through an artistic and philosophical lense. Like Drew, Jones questions his background and connection to ancestry in relation to the world shaped around him. With this, he shapes his own work to reflect his connections to the world. His lived experiences shape his art, just as his art can be used to inspire change in the hearts of others.
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| Description in Gallery |
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| Benin Images, 1970 |
Ben Jones’ 1970 mixed media piece Benin Images pays tribute and adoration to African rulers in relation to his ancestry. The image displays African royalty, a celebration of figures with headdresses, gems, and special attire. From hearts and flowers, to stars, the piece is scattered with symbols of love and life while creating visual balance and flow throughout. He depicts his culture with vibrant colors and elaborate patterns, symbols of jewelry and crowns with contribute to the idea of adornment and royalty. In an activist sense, his acknowledgment of African history and royalty not only strengthens his connection with his earthly roots but also brings it to the attention of an American audience who may not have seen these figures depicted in this way. A lot of art shown in art history classes focuses on European art history or modernism, specifically with how it transitions into America. To trace back to Africa, using visuals and aesthetics that can mix from an American perspective and African meanings can broaden the audience.
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| Envision, Empower, Embrace |
Ben Jones’ 2010 piece Envision, Empower, Embrace depicts the symbol of life, a fish, surrounded by a variety of textures, symbols and words. The work was created on a tall canvas with digital print, added with acrylic paint. The fish can be seen as a motif throughout Jones’ work, as the symbol can relate to conservation of the Earth as well as life or spiritualism. This piece in particular serves as art activism by not only including culturally diverse emblems such as Chinese letters and symbols from ancient Africa, but it also advocates for the conservation of the natural world. The red letters Envision, Empower and Embrace stand out against the primarily cool and earthy color scheme, allowing the audience to read each text. The audience is left to question how we can envision, who we should empower and what we should embrace. The text is from the poem “Mother Earth” written by Denise Tansley, which from the perspective of Earth depicts a literal motherly relationship of nurture with themes of neglect from us as humans. The piece as a whole takes Jones’ cultural aesthetics and acknowledgment of environmentalism to advocate for better treatment of the Earth. The artwork can honestly inspire an audience to feel awe and beauty, I also guilt upon reading the poetic words ingrained on the canvas. Jones uses these words as texture but also to strengthen the meaning of his piece.
The King Family, 1970
Curatorial activism serves as a gateway to make sure all voices have a better chance at being accessed, but there's still a long way to go. We must acknowledge the facts and keep learning every day. Kimberly Drew took the time to question the world around her, regardless of how “uncomfortable” it made other people. She would not be silenced because of other peoples guilt, nor would she faulter when questioned. Instead, she paved the way for her own voice to be spoken while also lifting up others. Similarly, Ben Jones uses his work to life up and represent others as well. The work of Ben Jones encapsulates themes of life, ancestry, and sense of self. The work flows from themes of history and reflections of the current world, acknowledgments of our issues in connection with the old. His work creates a sense of empowerment within the human experience along with beautiful depictions of spiritualism and nature. Not only does he pay tribute to various black men and women, he also alludes to gender, LGBTQ, the human rights movement, environmentalism, capitalism, the pandemic, and technology. Ben even depicts the King family to pay tribute to their struggle with the loss of Martin Luther King Jr, while also respecting him and his children. He brings up these faces so we can be familiar and not forget who they are, and what they meant to us as people through history. Ben Jones is indeed an activist whose work breathes colorful life and thought into its viewers. We respect not only him and his work, but the people he pays tribute to.
Citations
Emily Diaz
Drew, Kimberly. This Is What I Know about Art. Penguin Workshop, 2020.
Duncombe, Steve, and Steve Lambert. The Art of Activism: Your All-Purpose Guide to Making The Impossible Possible. London : OR Books, 2021.
Jones, Ben. Benin Images. 1970, Harold B Lemmerman Gallery, Jersey City, NJ.
Jones, Ben. Envision, Empower, Embrace. 2010, Harold B Lemmerman Gallery, Jersey City, NJ.
Reilly, Maura. “What Is Curatorial Activism?” ARTnews.Com, ARTnews.com, 18 Nov. 2019, www.artnews.com/art-news/news/what-is-curatorial-activism-9271/amp/.
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