Saya Woolfalk’s show, “The Woods Woman Method”, was shown in the Susan Inglett Gallery from 31 January to 15 March 2025. This show explored themes of identity through feminist theory, anthropology, and oral storytelling. She showed a series titled “Birthing a New Sky”, made using mixed media collage, which depicts six plants with a figure alluding to moon phases. The center of the 7 pieces is slightly larger, drawing attention to a figure surrounded by organic shapes, and alludes to lunar imagery in the center of the figure. Symbolically, the figure feels spiritual and cosmic with connections to nature as a theme in the work. The plants shown in the collection are colorful, using light pastels in a blue and purple palette. The soft palette adds to the feminine energy of the work that is also often associated with plants.
Each plant holds medicinal properties that were commonly passed down orally by the African Americans enslaved in the South. Woolfalk depicts the plant meadowsweet, which was traditionally used as a medicine to alleviate joint pain and heartburn. Beautiful as it is, Woolfalk reminds us that representing it also keeps a tradition of teaching about these plants alive.
WC 201
-Sonja
I appreciate that you explain both the material and immaterial qualities of the work. For example, you write about the collage technique that the artist used while also discussing the works’ preoccupation with storytelling and anthropology. It could be interesting to consider how the artist’s material choices relate to the message they are trying to convey. For instance, you mention the works exploring themes of feminist theory and African-American culture. I wonder, then, if WoolFalk’s decision to use collage is reminiscent of the quilts that many enslaved women made, or if the choice to collage is an act of retelling a story by weaving singular pieces together to tell a larger story.
ReplyDeleteThis review gives a thoughtful introduction to Woolfalk’s The Woods Woman Method, offering context around the artist’s use of plant symbolism and cultural history. The description of “Birthing a New Sky” is effective, particularly in identifying visual elements like lunar imagery and pastel palettes. However, the commentary could possibly explore how Woolfalk’s aesthetic choices impact the viewer emotionally or conceptually, what does the softness of the palette do beyond referencing femininity? A more critical lens could also be helpful, like pointing out if at any moment the symbolism felt too literal, etc. Even if the show fully succeeded, maybe explaining why its various parts worked together would strengthen the analysis and move the review beyond description.
ReplyDeleteWhile I didn’t find the show conceptually or aesthetically compelling, I appreciated the clarity of your review and the way you articulated Woolfalk’s framework. Your explanation of the symbolic use of medicinal plants, particularly meadowsweet, illuminated elements I might have otherwise overlooked. For me, the visual language felt overly soft and literal, which made the overall experience feel somewhat didactic. That said, your interpretation of the central figure and its lunar references offered a thoughtful perspective that prompted me to reconsider the intention behind the imagery, even if the execution ultimately felt unconvincing.
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