“Represent: Selections from The Studio Museum in Harlem” is an exhibit running in the New York State Museum from September 2006 to February 2007. Yet while observing the collection last Thursday afternoon, I was blown away by the artists’ talent and passion; I wish there was a museum in Albany dedicated solely to their vibrant art all year round.

The works range from contemporary light installations and DVD art, to Civil- Rights era and Renaissance-inspired paintings that carry important messages about Black culture and history. It was an enlightening experience, and many of the pieces stood out to me.

Kara Walker’s The Emancipation Approximation (Scene 18) (2000), for example, utilizes a silkscreen cutout on paper to render the silhouettes of two women. It harkens back to the plantation era. One silhouette is dark, with an afro, and apparently a slave, due to the ragged appearance of her dress. She holds on her shoulders the silhouette (in white) of a woman wearing a voluminous Civil-War era gown.

Walker’s method is impressive. She uses black paper and an Exacto knife to cut out entire scenes in silhouette, usually creating pieces as big as murals- other times, like in the case of The Emancipation Approximation, in a smaller 2 by 3 size. The message of the piece is significant as well; Walker seems to comment on the disparity in the advantages that black women get in society based on the color of their skin and the texture of their hair. The lighter black woman is carried on the shoulders of the “mammy”-like, darker black woman like royalty—the Emancipation Proclamation did not level the playing field, as skin color still affects privilege and prejudice in the black community.

On a different note, Barkley L. Hendricks’s Lawdy Mama (1969) is an afro-centric representation of classic Renaissance Christian imagery. A black woman with a fierce look and an amazing afro stares out from the painting, her arms crossed in an awkward but defiant pose against a glowing golden background. I was amused by the woman’s 1960’s style, but also couldn’t help notice Hendricks’ allusion to the Virgin Mary. Yet instead of a demure white woman with a shapeless robe and a bowed head, Lawdy Mama’s body language conveys power and anger. Her eyes look directly at the audience and her head is held high. Hendricks’ 64x50 inch painting seems to cry out for Black power and pride against our mainstream society’s Euro-centric beliefs and culture.

David Hammons’ Too Obvious (piggy bank) (1996) is a unique piece. At first I was confused at the meaning of a broken piggy bank spilling out cowry shells, but the more I thought about the significance of these shells in different cultures all over the world, I realized that the piece wants to juxtapose cultural values. Cowry shells were used as currency in Africa, and formed an integral part of many African cultures. The use of cowry shells to barter was preferred to that of gold, which astonished European traders who did business with Africans. Today, through the African Diaspora, cowries continue to form part of many religious practices in the Caribbean and South America. With Too Obvious, Hammons wants to show us that some values are incompatible with tradition: this generation’s obsession with accumulating money separates them from their ancestors, who saw value in plain cowry shells over that of gold. When the piggy bank breaks, all that is left is the cowry shell, and if one cannot see the value in those, then all the money in the world means nothing.

The pieces exhibited in “Represent: Selections from The Studio Museum in Harlem” are all excellent works from artists of African descent. These are insightful artists who at times give us heartfelt messages. Visiting the exhibit was an unforgettable experience that helped me learn and make new connections between African-American past, present and future; black culture is American culture, and it’s important to appreciate and acknowledge this. ■