Gangsta Girl on the Block 2012

Curator: Arlene Shechet, born in 1951, created this intriguing piece titled "Gangsta Girl on the Block," currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It looks like a precarious tower of ceramic bricks, topped by a delicate porcelain figure. There’s something unsettling, yet playful about it. Curator: The "bricks," if we can call them that, have this utilitarian feel, while the figurine perched atop speaks of fragility and perhaps even a kind of old-world privilege. Editor: Exactly. The tension between the rough-hewn modules and the precious figurine reveals a fascinating dialogue about labor and class. The material contrast is key, pushing against traditional definitions of art versus craft. Curator: The figure, dominating the structure, reminds me of societal power structures, perched atop a base that could crumble. There’s a symbolic weight to that juxtaposition. Editor: I agree. The warped forms also imply a tension inherent to the process, revealing the way these ceramic elements were manipulated during production. It's like seeing the labor embedded in the form. Curator: I find myself wondering what cultural memories and associations Shechet evokes with the figure, does it reference a specific historical period? Editor: Ultimately, seeing how material transformation reveals social dynamics has given me a completely new perspective. Curator: Indeed. This sculpture offers a unique lens through which to view power, privilege, and the very act of creation.