Secrets, Dialogues, Revelations: The Art of Betye and Alison Saar

Elizabeth Sheperd (Ed.); Essays: Lucy L. Lippard; Ishmael Reed; Judith Wilson

Editorial: Wight Art Gallery; University of California Press • 1990

• Catálogo de la exposición (1990-1991). 'Secrets, Dialogues, Revelations' expands on the conventional format of exploring the impact of master artist upon a pupil. Rather, it reveals the dialogue that takes place between mother aritst (Betye) and daughter artist (Alison) within the persistently overlapping realms of the artistic and the familial. This complex interchange, which Ishmael Reed has aptly termed a 'call and response,' is a central force in the creative methodologies of both artists. For Betye and Alison, the process of making art is a journey, a ritual that celebrates the evocative power of found objects and the potential of these objects for expressing spiritual energy. Making art thus becomes an act of resurrection, a regenerative quest that mother and daughter have often embarked upon together. The common ground between the two artists is occupied by shared subject matter and imagery, a sensitivity to the presence of spiritual power and its role in the creative process, and an appreciation of autobiographical sources of inspiration. Hearts, ladders, and crosses appear frequently in works that interpret myth, ritual, cultural diversities, and universal similarities. Titles of works are telling; both artists find it hard to resist a pun, and their puns are in turn irresistible. For this exhibition, the artists have jointly created an installation for the first time. Entitled 'House of Gris Gris,' it refers to gray magic - neither black or white - and it charts the progression of the spirit from its mortal state to its heavenly ascent. For this publication, we are also honored to have had as catalogue essayists, and interviewers three distinguished authors - Lucy R. Lippard, Ishmael Reed, and Judith Wilson. Their sensitive probings into the dynamics of the relationship between artist-mother and artist-daughter have resulted in fascinating exchanges and uncommon insights.