Saar, Betye

1926-present · Contribution: 1960s-present

Visual Arts

Assemblage and mixed-media art; densely layered constructions of found objects exploring African American identity, spirituality, memory, and the reclamation of racist imagery; best known for 'The Liberation of Aunt Jemima' (1972)

Visual Arts: collage image
Visual Arts

Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.

Quick facts

Category
Visual Arts

Impact on the world

Saar weaponized racist imagery, turning demeaning stereotypes into icons of Black power and feminist defiance, a landmark strategy for the Black Arts Movement.

An alternative history

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Sources

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    Brooklyn Museum

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