Black Venus c. 1957

Editor: So this is "Black Venus" by Margaret Burroughs, a woodcut print from around 1957. It's incredibly striking, almost dreamlike with its swirling figures and textures. What jumps out to you in terms of how the artist chose to depict the scene through the materiality of the woodcut process? Curator: The intentionality in Burroughs' use of the woodcut is vital here. The labor-intensive process of carving into the wood, removing material to create these sharp contrasts between black and white, mirrors the active erasure and subsequent reclamation of Black bodies in art history. We see Burroughs literally making space for this Venus through subtractive means. How do you read that act of making in relation to the broader context of the Black Arts Movement? Editor: I guess I see how the sharp lines and strong contrasts visually echo the bold statements of identity and cultural pride that defined the movement, reclaiming imagery... So it's about more than just depicting a Black figure; it's about asserting agency over the means of production itself, right? Curator: Precisely! The choice isn't just aesthetic. It's a deliberate challenge to the predominantly white, elite art world, using a medium readily available and relatively inexpensive, making it accessible. How do you see that accessibility functioning in opposition to more traditional, exclusive art forms and spaces? Editor: Well, prints can be reproduced, so it democratizes access. The materials speak to challenging power dynamics… I never thought about a print quite like that before, in terms of what it meant to make it and share it at that time. Curator: Exactly. Considering the artist, the time period and her work with the South Side Community Art Center really opens up how this "Black Venus" takes on the social role it did, creating narratives of identity, beauty and material ingenuity for its community.