Description
Book SynopsisUses the work of contemporary American artist Kara Walker to investigate a range of storytelling traditions with roots in the nineteenth century and ramifications in the present. This book also explores a significant yet neglected aspect of Walker's production: her commitment to examining narrative depictions of race, gender, power, and desire.
Trade Review“Peabody asserts that narrative is a necessary interpretative scheme with which to approach Walker’s art, and the author gives deep histories to some of the most interesting moments in Walker’s narrative engagement. . . . [A] remarkable book which spans Walker’s nearly twenty-year long career to date…” * Oxford Art Journal *
"This excellent book contributes greatly to the plethora of existing scholarship on Kara Walker." * Panorama *
“Rebecca Peabody’s lyrically written, provocative, and smart new take on Kara Walker suggests that there is, in fact, much more to say about this artist. . . . Peabody has set the bar high. Not only does she rigorously review the copious literature on Walker, but she has taken considerable trouble to familiarize herself with Walker’s own words and ideas in order to present as thorough a critique of this enigmatic artist. Brava.” * Woman’s Art Journal *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: Kara Walker, Storyteller 1. The End of Uncle Tom 2. The Pop of Racial Violence 3. American Romance in Black and White 4. The International Appeal of Race 5. Storytelling in Film and Video Conclusion Notes Selected Bibliography Illustration Credits Index
