Freedom, a Fable: A Curious Interpretation of the Wit of a Negress in Troubled Times 1997

Kara Walker made this book, Freedom, a Fable: A Curious Interpretation of the Wit of a Negress in Troubled Times, using paper and cut outs. It’s like a theatre, each page a new scene, but all in silhouette. The thing about silhouettes is that they're so flat, yet they suggest so much. It’s all in the details of the cut. Look at the figure on top of the mountain. She's larger than life, but she’s made of nothing but paper. I love how Walker uses this contrast to make us think about the weight of history and the lightness of fiction. The edges of the paper are so sharp and clean, it's like a surgical operation. The black and white is stark, like a moral choice. But then, when you look closer, the shapes become ambiguous. Are we looking at heroes or villains? It’s impossible to say. Like a good painting, this piece embraces ambiguity. For me, Walker is a master of using old techniques to tell new stories. It reminds me a little of Goya. She doesn’t want to give us answers, she wants to make us think.