NOTE 1: Today’s post comes complete with a set of instructions a la those “lather, rinse, repeat” directions on a shampoo bottle. Here’s what to do:
1. View Sherald’s painting “Ecclesia (The Meeting of Inheritance and Horizons).”
2. Think about the painting and determine what meaning you take from it.
3. Then read the post below to discover my interpretation.
4. Finally, view the video (linked at the bottom) of Sherald’s discussion of the painting.
1. View Sherald’s painting “Ecclesia (The Meeting of Inheritance and Horizons).”
2. Think about the painting and determine what meaning you take from it.
3. Then read the post below to discover my interpretation.
4. Finally, view the video (linked at the bottom) of Sherald’s discussion of the painting.
Below: "Ecclesia (The Meeting of Inheritance and Horizons)"
Yesterday’s post was the first in a series about my visit to “Amy Sherald: American Sublime” at the Baltimore Museum of Art. An info-panel on one of the exhibit’s walls mentioned “Sherald takes inspiration from a wide range of authors” – including Emily Dickinson – hence, my focus on the exhibit, “from the point of view of a Dickinson enthusiast.” Yesterday’s introductory post is HERE.
I mentioned that Sherald’s portrait of Michelle Obama was included in the show; however, it was not the exhibit’s focus. As a matter of fact, the Obama portrait was on a back wall in the back room so (I suppose) not to eclipse the purpose of presenting “our shared humanity and an insistence on being seen.”
I mentioned that Sherald’s portrait of Michelle Obama was included in the show; however, it was not the exhibit’s focus. As a matter of fact, the Obama portrait was on a back wall in the back room so (I suppose) not to eclipse the purpose of presenting “our shared humanity and an insistence on being seen.”
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As one enters the exhibit, the first gallery displays “Ecclesia (The Meeting of Inheritance and Horizons),” a triptych of vertical oil paintings on linen, each measuring 128 inches by 68 inches. You can read (or listen to) a complete description of the work HERE.
NOTE 2: This link above is NOT the video of Sherald discussing the video; instead, it is just a detailed description of the image in the painting.
The first and very noticeable detail, of course, is that all three figures are Black. Sherald recognizes that in our current society painting Black portraiture as inherently political; however, her works serve to correct historical absences and bring Black humanity into spaces that have long excluded them. In the introductory film on Sherald at the exhibit, she mentions that as a teenager on a school trip to the Columbus Museum in Georgia, she first saw black representation in art through a painting by American artist Bo Bartlett. The artwork featured a Black man, marking a pivotal moment where she realized she had never before seen a Black person in a painting. She describes the moment HERE.
You can hear Sherald talk about her technique of using grayscale skin tones HERE.
Below: "Object Permanence" by Bo Bartlett
NOTE 2: This link above is NOT the video of Sherald discussing the video; instead, it is just a detailed description of the image in the painting.
The first and very noticeable detail, of course, is that all three figures are Black. Sherald recognizes that in our current society painting Black portraiture as inherently political; however, her works serve to correct historical absences and bring Black humanity into spaces that have long excluded them. In the introductory film on Sherald at the exhibit, she mentions that as a teenager on a school trip to the Columbus Museum in Georgia, she first saw black representation in art through a painting by American artist Bo Bartlett. The artwork featured a Black man, marking a pivotal moment where she realized she had never before seen a Black person in a painting. She describes the moment HERE.
You can hear Sherald talk about her technique of using grayscale skin tones HERE.
Below: "Object Permanence" by Bo Bartlett
Back to the painting:
The title of the work is ““Ecclesia (The Meeting of Inheritance and Horizons),” and there are three figures in the painting, so there is, in fact, a meeting – that of “Inheritance” in the center, and the two “Horizons” on either side. But what is “Ecclesia”? Is that the name of the “Inheritance” figure at the center of the work? No, “ecclesia” is a Greek word meaning "assembly" or "called out ones." It originally referred to a political assembly of citizens in ancient Greek city-states (like Athens) called together for public business – so here we have an assemblage, an “ecclesia,” of three figures.
“Inheritance” is the perfect name for the individual in the center as the term focuses directly on one’s inherited traits passed down genetically from parents to offspring; the focus is not on acquired traits – those developed during one’s lifetime due to environmental influences, experiences, or learning – so the painting lands directly on the very essence of one’s “being.” On either side there are two horizons – seemingly east and west – and to me, this representation calls to mind Thoreau’s statement, “The universe is wider than our views of it.” We see our horizons – we can see to them – and sure enough, in Sherald’s opus, “Inheritance” sees to her “Horizons” – but there is more; however, until we widen our horizons, we can only see what we see.
This, then, calls to mind Emily Dickinson’s “The Brain – is wider than the Sky.”
The title of the work is ““Ecclesia (The Meeting of Inheritance and Horizons),” and there are three figures in the painting, so there is, in fact, a meeting – that of “Inheritance” in the center, and the two “Horizons” on either side. But what is “Ecclesia”? Is that the name of the “Inheritance” figure at the center of the work? No, “ecclesia” is a Greek word meaning "assembly" or "called out ones." It originally referred to a political assembly of citizens in ancient Greek city-states (like Athens) called together for public business – so here we have an assemblage, an “ecclesia,” of three figures.
“Inheritance” is the perfect name for the individual in the center as the term focuses directly on one’s inherited traits passed down genetically from parents to offspring; the focus is not on acquired traits – those developed during one’s lifetime due to environmental influences, experiences, or learning – so the painting lands directly on the very essence of one’s “being.” On either side there are two horizons – seemingly east and west – and to me, this representation calls to mind Thoreau’s statement, “The universe is wider than our views of it.” We see our horizons – we can see to them – and sure enough, in Sherald’s opus, “Inheritance” sees to her “Horizons” – but there is more; however, until we widen our horizons, we can only see what we see.
This, then, calls to mind Emily Dickinson’s “The Brain – is wider than the Sky.”
 | In an analysis of the poem on “The Prowling Bee” (HERE), blogger Susan Kornfeld concluded her thoughts with this: “Is it possible that there is some fundamental unity between consciousness/brain/mind and God, or that more particularly the first engenders the other?....and Dickinson notably includes an element of doubt – it is what distinguishes ‘Syllable from Sound.’ While syllables are always sound (or written representations of sound), sound is only occasionally syllables. Perhaps Dickinson is implying that humans give voice to creation and creation's Source.” |
A commenter on the site added that the concluding stanza sets up “the heretical open question that ends the poem (how a syllable differs from sound; how the Brain differs from God).”
In the blog’s comment section, I made mention of the quote from Thoreau, and another commenter (who, incidentally, now runs the site) replied, “A kind of inversion. Maybe Emily was thinking of it? Though it presents a very different idea....”
Still another responded, “When we talk about the reality of syllable and sense, we like to frame it in a Newtonian way. However, there's so much we do not know. Quantum physics provides another slant on reality. James Asher's comment above (with Thoreau’s quote) speaks to this.”
So where are we? Or at least – where am I on all of this? We are who we are as defined though inherited traits passed down from our parents' DNA; however, we also develop and experience acquired traits, behavioral dispositions, life choices, nature vs. nurture, environmental factors, and so on. As we view our horizons, are they “wider than our views of it” – or are our inherent capacities wider than they?
In the opening line of the final stanza of her poem, Dickinson proclaimed “The Brain is just the weight of God”; however, two short lines later she questions whether they differ –she throws in that confounding “if they do.”
Aye, there’s the rub: “If they do!
That brings me back to “Inheritance” in Sherald’s painting. Take a look at her stance. Is she shielding her eyes to block the sunlight – or is she making that universal gesture of scouting, attempting to improve visibility for better focus on the distance? Is she attempting to see beyond her horizons? Is she watching for someone or something from afar?
The soul should always scan afar?
LOL! Another connection to Dickinson: “The soul should always stand AJAR.” But – lets leave it at that – because what Dickinson actually said and what many believe she said are two different things (I wrote it about it HERE) – so let’s just keep our souls – and views – ajar!
In the blog’s comment section, I made mention of the quote from Thoreau, and another commenter (who, incidentally, now runs the site) replied, “A kind of inversion. Maybe Emily was thinking of it? Though it presents a very different idea....”
Still another responded, “When we talk about the reality of syllable and sense, we like to frame it in a Newtonian way. However, there's so much we do not know. Quantum physics provides another slant on reality. James Asher's comment above (with Thoreau’s quote) speaks to this.”
So where are we? Or at least – where am I on all of this? We are who we are as defined though inherited traits passed down from our parents' DNA; however, we also develop and experience acquired traits, behavioral dispositions, life choices, nature vs. nurture, environmental factors, and so on. As we view our horizons, are they “wider than our views of it” – or are our inherent capacities wider than they?
In the opening line of the final stanza of her poem, Dickinson proclaimed “The Brain is just the weight of God”; however, two short lines later she questions whether they differ –she throws in that confounding “if they do.”
Aye, there’s the rub: “If they do!
That brings me back to “Inheritance” in Sherald’s painting. Take a look at her stance. Is she shielding her eyes to block the sunlight – or is she making that universal gesture of scouting, attempting to improve visibility for better focus on the distance? Is she attempting to see beyond her horizons? Is she watching for someone or something from afar?
The soul should always scan afar?
LOL! Another connection to Dickinson: “The soul should always stand AJAR.” But – lets leave it at that – because what Dickinson actually said and what many believe she said are two different things (I wrote it about it HERE) – so let’s just keep our souls – and views – ajar!
NOTE 3: I discovered a short video of Sherald discussing this work AFTER I composed my thoughts. I just now listened to it. Her concluding remarks are, “This is the first painting that I made where I was left with more questions that I had answers to, but I think I want the viewer to leave this painting with a sense of wonder and with the opportunity to create their own narrative on what they think is happening.”
Well, I did indeed leave the painting with a sense of wonder, and I did indeed create my own narrative. Whaddya think? What meaning did you take from the painting?
Oh -- you can listen to Sherald’s commentary on the work HERE.
Well, I did indeed leave the painting with a sense of wonder, and I did indeed create my own narrative. Whaddya think? What meaning did you take from the painting?
Oh -- you can listen to Sherald’s commentary on the work HERE.
NOTE 4: I'll just leave this here:
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