Danielle Scott’s Kinfolk exhibit was an enlightening experience to say the least, as someone who comes from an African American lineage, I was able to connect to this exhibit on a more personal level. Her work exemplifies what it means to be black and doesn't shy away from history. No matter how bleak the reality of the historical context may be behind these pieces, Scott embraces it and turns it into something beautiful, and something to be proud of rather than something to be hidden. The Kinfolk exhibit is about embracing your roots, and embodies what black history is in the best ways possible. Every piece within the gallery comes together to feel larger than life.

Hatwell, Gray, Bernaby and Eugene

Mixed Medium assemblage and resin

“Hatwell,Gray, Bernaby and Eugene” is a mixed media piece with vibrant patterns strategically used as clothing, and with a powerful saturation of orange and gold in the background. Centered in the middle are 4 children gazing directly at the viewer, and the work as a whole is framed with diminishing wood. This piece is one that especially stands out, Scott does a perfect job of making her work feel bigger than just art; She both names, and talks about her work as if they have sentience, and the way she shifted between medium expands on the concept. Scott uses Images of actual children as the muse, instead of anything that was hand painted or drawn. She intentionally draws the viewer's mind to the thought that photos are used to remind you of what once was reality, and in doing so it subconsciously reminds the viewer that this isn’t just art, it's real; Just as real as the wood that the work it's surrounded in, and just as real as the pages that fill up the negative spaces behind the children. However, the most powerful aspect of this piece is the children's gaze. The children's gaze conveys a message to the viewer, as Bell hooks states “..... Imagine the terror felt by the child who has come to understand through repeated punishments, that one's gaze can be dangerous. The child who has learned so well to look the other way when necessary. Yet, when punished, the child is told by parents, "Look at me when I talk to you”  ….There is power in looking.” (Bell hooks, in Black Looks: Race And Representation. Chp 7) The child is conveying a story through their expression, and face. I believe this to be the strongest aspect in this piece.

    

Peter Thorough

Mixed Medium assemblage and resin

   

     The next piece is titled “Peter Thorough” It is also a piece titled after the muse in the works. It shows an image of a man clad in burgundy, and in blue patterned pants.This image is not on canvas but an Ironing board, an invention created by a black Woman, Sarah Boone, which is a subliminal message which adds great depth to this piece, and the image of the man is also an actual image, these seem to be the recurring aspect that makes the pieces in kinfolk feel grounded in reality. The background of the image is just as important as the man in the foreground if not more important, because of the saturation of the cotton, and sun. This image reminds me of older renaissance artworks such as Giotto Di Bondone's depiction of Mary and Christ, or Mellon Madonna. They all depict a Halo, which in Scott’s work is used as sun but also may suggest some sort of angelic aspect to the man in the photo, even if not to the same extent. Tris McCall mentions something similar in her Analysis of another piece by Danielle Scott stating “Celia and Bazile Churchill” isn’t quite a Madonna and Child, but the golden rings around the head of the guarded mother and the guilelessness of the little daughter are a powerful callback to Renaissance iconography of sacrifice and divine sovereignty.

All in all The Kinfolk exhibit was a wonder that won't be forgotten anytime soon, every piece holds heavy weight to it and all have their own presence. They each recall powerful moments in history that still hold weight in today's society, as someone who has had the opportunity to witness the creation of her works , It wasn't until the Kinfolk exhibit,  have I truly grasped the messages Danielle Scott was trying to convey through her works.” Perhaps this is another piece in which she makes a recall to renaissance art. This piece visually is simple, yet detailed, and is well balanced. The well-balanced nature is what drew my attention to the piece and I believe it to be one of its strongest qualities.