Photograph by
Williams, Amanda, American, born 1974
Date
2014-2016; printed 2020
Medium
ink on photographic paper
Dimensions
H x W (sheet): 22 × 30 in. (55.9 × 76.2 cm)
H x W (image): 20 × 28 in. (50.8 × 71.1 cm)
H x W (matted): 30 × 36 in. (76.2 × 91.4 cm)
Caption
Statement from the artist:
“From 2014-2015 Amanda Williams created a contemporary art project called Color(ed) Theory. Amanda covertly and without permission, painted empty houses in and around Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood that were slated for demolition. She developed a unique, culturally coded, monochromatic color palette based on hues found in primarily in consumer products marketed toward Black people along commercial corridors on Chicago’s South Side. The project emphasized how colors have socially constructed associations that are inextricably linked to race and class. The series explored how academic and theoretical definitions of color map across veiled language used in American media/popular culture to describe racially charged city spaces. What color is urban? What color is gentrification? What color is privilege? Williams then photographed each house, calling attention to the architectural details as well as their isolated context.”
Description
A digital print color photograph of a red painted house sitting in an otherwise empty lot. The house appears on the left side of the image, surrounded by mature trees. A street or driveway runs from in front of the house across to the right side of the image. The house consists of two stories, and is a square shape with four straight sides and a peaked roof. The house's first floor is a few feet below street level and a set of steps runs from the street to the front door of the main floor. The house has a facade of thin, irregular sized brick or stone and has been entirely covered in red paint except for the white trim along the roof and white showing amongst the edges of the stone. There are two open windows on the right side of the house, one on the first level and directly above it on the main level. There is torn paper above the upper window. The empty, white-walled interior can be seen through the empty windows. There is a large area of grass in the foreground of the photograph and in the background of the photograph is a street with several cars. A chain link fence and several buildings are visible on the other side of the street. The sky above is bright blue with several cloud formations.
On the verso, in graphite is the artist's signature [Amanda Williams] with [COLOR(ED) THEORY: 'HAROLD'S CHICKEN SHACK' 2014-2016. / Edition of 10.].
Place depicted
Englewood, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
Portfolio/Series
Color(ed) Theory Suite, 2014-2016
Classification
Visual Arts
Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design
Photographs and Still Images
Type
digital prints
Topic
Advertising
Architecture
Art
Black geographies
Communities
Design
Foodways
Housing
Photography
Race discrimination
Urban life
Urban planning
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, purchased through the American Women's History Initiative Acquisitions Pool, administered by the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative
Object number
2021.36.1
Restrictions & Rights
© Amanda Williams
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5cdc56ca0-dbda-4f0a-9034-e3c13884164b

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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