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Artworks
Tamia Alston-Ward
Mammy #6, 202224K gold, casein paint, egg tempera on prepared paper9 x 12 inches
22.9 x 30.5 cmsCopyright The ArtistThe Jim Crow Era and the Reconstruction Era before it, furthered the creation of the quintessentially American amusement, adornment, and appropriation, at the expense of Black people in the form...The Jim Crow Era and the Reconstruction Era before it, furthered the creation of the quintessentially American amusement, adornment, and appropriation, at the expense of Black people in the form of stereotypical caricatures. This took the form of Blackface, party games, pranks, picnics, and also figurines. The "Mammy" is a caricature of a Black woman, usually depicted as dark-skinned, heavy-set, desexualized, jolly, and happy to serve. She is loud, and sassy, but warm, and has a unique ability to be vocal and outspoken but it is only to have the whites' best interest at heart. The Mammy role is seen in Gone with the Wind, Aunt Jemima, and even in contemporary media as well. The Mammy reinforces the role that Black women are to be grateful in their labor while acting as an antithesis to the white woman, who at the time, was unable to work, deemed as precious, and to be protected at all costs. The medium egg tempera used in this piece led me to reflect on the space that women generations before me had to inhabit, the kitchen. This piece, however, was not made from a figurine from the early 20th century but was found on Amazon. This Mammy serves as a cookie jar, she can be dismembered and opened up to share the wealth inside her body. This can still be found on Amazon.6of 6