Exchange: Pioneer High School: Authentic American Conversation in Paper Study Room

Pioneer High School: Authentic American Conversation in Paper Study Room

American; Artist Unknown
Seven Kiowah Men
graphite and colored pencil on lined cream rag paper
7 13/16 x 12 5/8 in. (19.84 x 32.07 cm);14 x 19 in. (35.56 x 48.26 cm)
Gift of The Daniel and Harriet Fusfeld Folk Art Collection

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The color screenprint depicts four dark skinned figures walking past a construction site—likely a family. The man is dressed in a black suit, black shoes, yellow tie, and tan hat. The woman wears a red and white dress, yellow jacket, and red cap. The little girl stands to the left of mother, holding her hand. She wears a yellow dress, white tights, brown shoes, and a red cap. A small boy wears brown pants, tan shoes, a yellow shirt, and blue jacket. He stands to the right of the father and holds his hand. <br /><br />
In the background, there are three men working at the construction site. There are two men in blue jumpsuits, one has dark skin and the other white. A third dark skinned man wears a gray jumpsuit and holds a saw. The print is signed and dated (l.r.) "Jacob Lawrence 1974" in pencil.

Jacob Lawrence
Builders (The Family)
screenprint on paper
34 in x 25 3/4 in (86.36 cm x 65.41 cm);29 15/16 in x 22 1/8 in (76.04 cm x 56.2 cm);38 3/4 in x 28 in (98.43 cm x 71.12 cm)
Gift of Dr. James and Vivian Curtis

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This print has rows of stencilled black text in all capital letters on white background. In pencil, the print is signed and dated (l.r.) "Glenn Lignon '92" and numbered (l.l.) "27/45".

Glenn Ligon
Untitled
etching, aquatint, spitbite, and sugarlift on Rives BFK paper
25 in x 17 1/4 in (63.5 cm x 43.82 cm);32 3/16 in x 26 3/16 in (81.76 cm x 66.52 cm)
Museum Purchase

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Bust-length portrait of Marilyn Monroe positioned in front of a red background; Haring used a poster of the actress onto which he applied sumi ink in a series of outlines, marks and drips over the face, neck, chest and shoulders.

Keith Haring
Marilyn Monroe
Sumi ink on poster
38 in. x 26 in. ( 96.52 cm x 66.04 cm )
Gift of the Lannan Foundation in Honor of the Pelham Family

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Portrait of a middle-aged woman. She looks into the camera lens; her dark hijab disappears into the dark background. Persian calligraphy is inscribed subtly over her skin in ink.

Shirin Neshat
Ghada
digital pigment print on paper
24 in x 16 1/2 in (60.96 cm x 41.91 cm);26 in x 17 1/2 in (66.04 cm x 44.45 cm)
Gift of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation

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This drawing shows the head of a man. Sketched lines with shading around cheeks and eyes, which are closed, create the visage. A faintly visible hat is sketched on the head. The drawing is signed (u.r.) "Anton Refregier." It may also say "San Francisco" although the handwriting is not clear.

Anton Refregier
Study of a Man's Head for "History of California"
graphite on paper
16 3/4 in x 13 15/16 in (42.55 cm x 35.4 cm)

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An assemblage of found objects: a salvaged wood frame with wood inlay letters spelling "COLORED," four portrait photographs of African American females (two photogaphs on either side of a printed poem), nine thread samples under photographs, and one hand mirror hanging on a decorative brass hook to the viewer's right of the frame. The poem reads: <br />
"Light is Alright<br />
Yellow is Mellow<br />
Brown, Stick Around<br />
Black, Get Back<br />
(but black don't crack)"<br />
<br />
The wood has a strong smell, may have been treated with molasses.<br />
<br />

Betye Saar
Colored
mixed media assemblage with photographs, paper, and thread on wood
14 ½ in x 30 in x 1 ½ in (36.83 cm x 76.2 cm x 3.81 cm);10 in x 5 in x ½ in (25.4 cm x 12.7 cm x 1.27 cm)
Museum purchase made possible by Dr. James and Vivian Curtis and the W. Hawkins Ferry Fund

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Activity:

1. Introduction: Here you can see a small collection of images representing different Americans (and one Egyptian). Take a few minutes to look carefully at these images. Who is the subject? What is the environment?

2. Choose one image that represents some aspect of "The American Experience" or a "core democratic value."

3. Share: Why did you select that image? What does it represent to you?

4. Wrap up: Do we see any common threads between these values or observations?

Note: some comments or conversations could be sensitive or personal. You may wish to begin with a statement about respecting difference, etc.