Created by
Gbadebo, Adebunmi, American, born 1992
Date
2019
Medium
mixed media: human hair, cotton, rice paper, denim, indigo, dye
Dimensions
H x W x D (overall install): 93 × 78 × 3 in. (236.2 × 198.1 × 7.6 cm)
H x W x D (each frame): 30 × 25 × 2 1/2 in. (76.2 × 63.5 × 6.4 cm)
Description
This framed mixed media portrait by Adebunmi Gbadebo is a composition of screen-printed white hand-made paper, cotton, clumps and strands of black hair, and varying degrees of indigo dye mixed with reproductions of documents related to the True Blue Plantation. The edges of the portrait are rough. In the top left quadrant is an intense patch of indigo dye. In this same area are two pieces of paper with black text.
The first piece of paper refers to a slavery rating system and is divided into two columns and the text "prime hand," "half hand," "Supersnnuated," "Overseer's nurse," and "prime hand" repeated again several times. Diagonally below and to the right is the second piece of paper with names: [[illegible] / Rachel / Dolly / Phillis / Joseph / Selina / Mary / [illegible] / Be- / Ga- ].
Place depicted
Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States, North and Central America
Collection title
I Sang The Blues Blackest: 18 Holes
Portfolio/Series
True Blue
Classification
Visual Arts
Type
multimedia works
Topic
African diaspora
Art
Barbershops
Hair
Men
Slavery
Women
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture purchased with funds provided by the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center and generously supported by American Express
Object number
2021.42.1
Restrictions & Rights
© Adebunmi Gbadebo
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd53b35a5aa-5779-4b3e-b364-77b6c8e29a94

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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