One of my earliest memories involves sitting on my dadโs lap in his studio in the garage of our house and watching him draw. I remember thinking: โI want to do that, too,โ and I pretty much decided then and there at age 2ยฝ or 3 that I was an artist just like Dad.
Kara WalkerSilhouettes are reductions, and racial stereotypes are also reductions of actual human beings.
Kara WalkerThere's no diploma in the world that declares you as an artistโit's not like becoming a doctor. You can declare yourself an artist and then figure out how to be an artist.
Kara WalkerIf you're a Black artist, you could paint a wall of smiley faces, and someone will still ask you, 'Why are you so angry?'
Kara WalkerSugar crystallizes something in our American Soul. It is emblematic of all Industrial Processes. And of the idea of becoming white. White Being equated with pure and โtrueโ it takes a lot of energy to turn brown things into white things. A lot of pressure.
Kara WalkerI didnโt want a completely passive viewer. Art means too much to me. To be able to articulate something visually is really an important thing. I wanted to make work where the viewer wouldnโt walk away; he would giggle nervously, get pulled into history, into fiction, into something totally demeaning and possibly very beautiful
Kara Walker