Cotton Eater II
by Alison Saar
Inspired by the Greek mythology of the Lotus Eaters, who consumed the narcotic lotus fruit and fell into a state of apathy, Alison Saar's "Cotton Eater" engages with profound historical and social narratives.
This print depicts a near-life-sized female figure standing in a cotton field, consuming cotton bolls. The image serves as a powerful symbol, connecting the exploitation inherent in cotton production with the history of slavery. According to Saar, the print also speaks of a “generation” of the poor, with the cotton bolls symbolizing non-nutritive, hollow social promises the government made to them. The figure's distended stomach illustrates the physical and metaphorical malnourishment resulting from these empty assurances.
Artwork Details
Title: Cotton Eater II
Artist: Alison Saar
Date: 2014
Medium: Woodcut
Dimensions: 72 x 34 in.
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Artist Overview
Alison Saar grew up in an artistically rich environment, with a collagist and assemblage artist mother who taught her metaphysical and spiritual practices and a painter and art conservator father who deepened her interest in visual art from various cultures. Saar’s work traverses the themes of the African cultural diaspora, spirituality, gender, and race, reflecting her multiethnic background and extensive studies in Latin American, Caribbean, and African art and religion. Primarily a sculptor who employs found objects, she also excels in printmaking, particularly woodcuts. Her prints, rich in spiritual symbolism, frequently depict figures interacting with symbolic objects like snakes, frying pans, and knives, challenging and redefining cultural stereotypes through transformative and consuming roles.
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