Alison Saar is known not only for her powerful sculptures; she is also a master of the art of printmaking. In both forms, she employs a personal vocabulary informed by history, race, and mythology. Her influences range from ancient Europe, Africa, and American folk art. She is especially drawn to the Kouros, an ancient Greek sculptural form of a man in the diametric pose of stillness and movement.
Saar’s works narrate stories of the African American experience, moving effortlessly from the personal to the political. In many of her works, she charts the tragic history of slavery in America, but her figures symbolize defiance and strength. Other recurring images are informed by jazz, romance, and desire. Through decades of work, Alison Saar has used the power of art to tell stories, and especially ones that matter.
This exhibition was organized by the Weatherspoon Art Museum, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and is accompanied by a catalogue.
PAST EXHIBITIONS
University of North Texas // March 8 - May 11, 2019
Joy Pratt Markham Gallery, Walton Arts Center // <ay 28 - October 6, 2019
Weatherspoon Art Museum // November 2, 2019 - February 23, 2020
Toledo Museum of Art // June 23 - July 26, 2020
Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, Scripps College // Aug 29 - December 6, 2020