Labels

I thoroughly enjoyed the in-class label writing assignment.  It has been, perhaps my favorite assignment this semester. The ability to interpret and engage with my peers and have formal and informal conversations was phenomenal. I learn by doing so much easier than by theory only. When I am engaged everything is put into perspective. The ability to get inside of my classmates’ heads and to give them a fresh point of view was wonderful. And, on the same token, to have my peers, my future colleagues to be able to help me flesh out ideas and concepts was refreshing. I hope that things I said made sense. My post-it comments were very much like a stream of consciousness. My reactions to some pieces were visceral, to others much more controlled or informed.

It’s difficult to know what you know about what interests you and to consider that others who may know nothing are part of your audience. Their take, their interest, their interpretations matter, because you are not curating just for curating’s sake or for yourself, you are curating and writing and narrating your story or a story for someone else. My mother would often say, “In life, there’s always a reason, and the reason.” I brought my reasons to the table for discussion and ended up walking away with many more that I would never have considered otherwise. This exercise is exactly why I am in this program, to be challenged and to engage with other future scholars.

I explored the concept of Black female identity. I chose images from Deb Willis’ Mother Wit Series, Carrie Mae Weems’ Kitchen Table Series, Varnette Honeywood, Kara Walker and Mickalene Thomas. I would hope that I spoke to the polytheism of women who may look like me, but dress, think, walk, talk and create differently. As a young black woman, I have lived my entire life in the skin I’m in but to be able to see myself and show other people life through my eyes was wholly empowering.

I expressed in class that I’ve never been much of an animals person, but after seeing Suzie’s affinity for them and after chatting with her, while I do not subscribe to her line of thinking, I can understand it much better and even have an appreciation. I even had an a-ha moment when I thought about the fact that much like Suzie’s dogs through the ages, they had been pets, kept-beings, property. And then,  I began thinking about how much like Suzie’s dogs, the women who were being portrayed were once considered property and in some locales, still are. It was a very sobering moment. One I think I may explore some day in a show I may mount. Fabulous.