After.
reading about Lorna Simpson, it seems that many people disagree with how I look at her.
work. To me it is easy to understand her points and feelings. Some of the readings from.
the book make it sound as if the concerns are not presented in a straightforward fashion.
Her inspiration stems from her own experience, the current political climate, and.
African-American history. Although her work falls within the tradition in.
African-American art, it is open to many different interpretations. Her messages are both.
personal and universal at the same time. Any one can look at her work and understand.
here point and relate to it in some way or another. .
One of Simpson's major themes is the situation of black women in society; she shows.
them at times as victims, and often as survivors. I noticed that many of her works show.
women as her subjects in the photographs, many times having them face in the opposite.
direction of the camera. She takes the experiences of anonymous women, hoping that.
through the images viewers will be able to share and begin an understanding of how they.
see the world. Explaining what had happened to their subjects, whether it is being judged.
for being black, being a woman, and any other situation they have come across throughout.
their life.
One of my most favorite pieces is probably one of the most universal pieces that I have.
seen in which she has created. The piece was untitled but known as "Prefer, Refuse,.
Decide". The piece as most of her work is divided into different sections, yet working only.
as a whole. The piece contains a back woman with only a portion of her body showing,.
that being the part from her head to her lower torso. She is wearing a plain white gown,.
similar to a nightgown. In each of the photos there is a clear piece of plastic, with a single.
word in it, placed in front of her stomach. In each of the photos the word is different. The.
first photo the word is prefer, the second which is refuse, and the third is decide.