Annie Lee Ross 1909 - 1978

Editor: So here we have a linocut print, a woodcut I believe, by Annie Lee Ross who lived 1909-1978. It depicts a man playing a banjo. The bold contrast makes a big impression, like a story being told through shadow and light. How do you read this piece, knowing something of its context? Curator: The narrative within the image is clearly evocative. Considering its production era, one cannot overlook the social dynamics. The figure with the banjo…banjos often were stereotypically associated with minstrelsy. How do you think Ross plays with or against those expectations? Editor: It's true, my first instinct was to cringe, thinking of those old stereotypes. But Ross being a black woman artist, she could be reappropriating the imagery? Like taking control of the narrative. Curator: Precisely. Consider the power dynamics: who is telling the story and for what audience? Black artists in the 20th century navigated a minefield of representation. Were they pandering to a white gaze or speaking to a black community, or trying to find something in between? It becomes an interesting question: the extent to which she is in conversation with that minstrel tradition, and the ways in which she’s subverting it. What does that signify? Editor: So by reclaiming an instrument historically used to demean Black people, is she challenging those representations and restoring the banjo's cultural significance? It feels so strong with this interpretation. Curator: Exactly. Understanding these historical undertones adds layers to our understanding. How an artist makes such decisions inevitably echoes loudly through culture. This helps highlight that artwork's public role. It pushes boundaries. I’m glad that we came across it and highlighted this very important piece. Editor: Yes! I now realize this print is about cultural identity and using art to confront harmful stereotypes.