Howardena Pindell

In Pindell’s poignant work, Free, White and 21 (1980) the artist uses performance and caricature to narrate her personal experiences of racism. The film alternates between Pindell recounting her stories and a caricature of a young white woman who rebukes Pindell for her ungrateful and paranoid statements. In criticizing the expectations and stereotypes imposed on a female, black artist, Pindell’s work can also been seen as a contribution to a feminist debate. Though Pindell’s body of work mostly consists of painting that explores texture, colour and structures, this video work stands out as being a seminal work in her career. Free, White and 21 can be found in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

A look back at the last fifty years in African American art, Colored Frames is an unflinching exploration of influences, inspirations and experiences of black artists. Beginning at the height of the Civil Rights Era and leading up to the present, it is a naked and truthful look at often ignored artists and their progenies.