African American Museum

African American Museum

December 2011

Lorna Simpson

American, b. 1960

Details 1996

Suite of 21 Prints

I found the Lorna Simpson prints in the Mixing Metaphors exhibit in the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) more intriguing then any other work in the museum.  The entire piece is comprised on twenty-one small images of hands.  These hands come in a variety of shapes, sizes and poses.  They interact with other hands or objects within the small, framed space.  Each image is paired with a handwritten title, adding another level of depth to the already quietly contemplative images.

This work is important to the target audiences of the AAMP because of Simpson’s success as an African American, female contemporary artist.  Her photographs are a contemporary expression of the viewer’s relationship between race and society. 

The work as a whole is a sharp contrast to the Audacious Freedom exhibit on the first floor of the museum.  Intensely interactive, the first floor seems to add to the quiet, unobtrusive environment found on the upper level. 

The hands are a commentary on life, cliches and the small objects we as people interact with daily that help make us who we are, and yet often do not acknowledge.  The personal intimacy of the individual works also contrast with the more modern feel of the rest of the art exhibit on the fourth floor.  I along with many other people are drawn to works that are relatable on a human level.  Recognizing hands draws in visitors to further investigate the small vignettes formed by each image. 

Lorna Simpson Exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum