DECEMBER 1, 2023 LOCAL ARTS Adore TERESA BASHAM Groundcover vendor No. 570 My love I’ll never say goodbye, Thee sea may rise, Thee sky may fall, No matter my love will never die, I’ll go bravely on, I may cry, Through thee blackest night, My drownin heart, From all thee tears I cry, I know this love will never part, For I’ll think of forever more, My love will never die, I may weep forever more, You’ll alwayz be, Thee one I adore. A day in the life of Earl EARL PULLEN Groundcover contributor As the eye Of a lark the Sun will shine As the dew of night falls On the land You can never judge A man by what you see It's all in a riddle And all in a rhyme The steeper the hill The harder the climb I say to you In a little rhyme I love you To the end of time GROUNDCOVER NEWS A shout PETER LINEBAUGH Groundcover contributor Cop City — Gaza City Atlanta Forest — olive groves The promised land The mushaã 40 acres and a mule That was then. What now? A mite, a penny, a paycheck, wages All illness, illth illth Only health is wealth: wealth-health, health-wealth Compost filthy lucre billion trillion, trillion billion People the color of the earth Palestine Maya Creek Muskogee Reconstruction — Land Back Abolition — Jubilee Common once again from the river to the sea. Voices from the past: a closer look at UMMA's Hear Me Now Become immersed in the journey of resilience encapsulated in the 'Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina' exhibition at the University of Michigan Museum of Art. The exhibit is both a lament for lost voices and a celebration of creative spirit flourishing despite hardship; it is a collective testament to the African-American legacy forged in the Old South. The American South's contribution to the national arts scene is often overlooked, and UMMA set out to change that. Their staff and scholars carefully chose the exhibition to reveal an untold, significant chapter of American history. In this exhibition, history's challenging periods intersect with the potters' incredible resilience and creativity. Many significant works in the exhibition are by David Drake. Despite being an enslaved poet and potter, his surviving pieces boldly bear his signature, a defiant act at a time when South Carolina's laws prohibited such self-assertion from enslaved individuals. An echo of defiance resonates in his work's underlying themes, as his inscriptions daringly critique the unequal societal norms of his time. "Inscribed with poetic defiance, David's monumental pots refuse to be silenced, and they carry the power of unarticulated exhibition includes photographic representations of works such as "K.S" by Adebunmi Gbadebo and "Large Jug" by Simone Leigh. These pieces underscore the persistent influence of traditional art forms and historical narratives. Added to this dialogue are artifacts like DAREK ZARUR U-M student contributor voices," explains resident Jack Shanahan, reflecting his views on the exhibit. "These showcases serve to enhance community inclusivity; they are truly inspiring." The exhibition also showcases works created by unknown potters, highlighting the unsettling reality that these masterpieces originated from nameless slaves. In a moving tribute, UMMA leaves a blank space where the artist's name should be on these pieces. It serves as a stark reminder of the stolen labor of enslaved individuals, thereby challenging us to confront and fill in the painful voids of our history tied to slavery. Among the traditional works, the exhibit presents the work of current artists whose pieces are anchored in Edgefield's legacy and instinctively respond to the untold stories of enslaved artists. Bridging the past and present, the "Face Jug" and "Jug," serving as links to this powerful history. Each of these works provides a window into not just the skilled hands that crafted them but also the lives intertwined with their creation. The deep layers of every pot bear the imprint of the Old South and stand as a testament to not only the remarkable artistic prowess of the enslaved artisans but also their untold legacy. It's a legacy marked by resilience and creativity, blossoming amid staggering adversities, waiting to be fully acknowledged and appreciated. The 'Hear Me Now' exhibition stands as a tribute to the unsung contributions of African-American potters and as a testament to the triumphant human spirit soaring amid adversity. Let's not just walk past these extraordinary works. Let's stop, gaze and in doing so, remember those gifted and resilient souls who twisted clay into expressions of defiance. They were people whose names we don't know, yet their touch lives in every pot, jug and sculpture. Cop City — Gaza City Atlanta Forest — olive groves The promised land The mushaã 40 acres and a mule That was then. What now? Abolition jubilee Common once again from the river to the sea. 7 Top: Face jug by ____________ (Potter once known), attributed to Miles Mill Pottery. Bottom: Large jug by Simone Leigh.
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