Kara Walker & Silhouette Storytelling

Kara Walker & Silhouette Storytelling

Multiple Choice

What's a silhouette again?

• The image of a person, animal, object or scene represented as a solid shape of a single color.

• A detailed and realistic portrait.

• A type of landscape painting.

• A sculpture made of clay.

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a silhouette can be created by experimenting with a single light source to create a "blacked out" image or outline on a surface

Check out these silhouette photos from artist Kumi Yamashita

Silhouette

Poll

Where does the light come from generally, to create a silhouette??

• right or left of the subject

• in front of the subject

• in back or from behind the subject

• below the subject

Light coming from behind the subject or object will create a great silhouette

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Made popular around 1790-1840

silhouette portraits were an easy and cheap way for anyone to have family portraits done

Silhouette Portraits

​The accessibility of materials also made these available for anyone to do, as the basic idea is to trace and cut paper
-silhouettes of animals, objects and scenes were also popular

Simple Materials & Process

Device where the operator traces the "sitter" or person's head and the device makes an impression of their silhouette on a piece of paper

​*originally used to make aquatint prints

Physiognotrace

• Before cameras were invented, this was became the best way to capture a sitter's image

• Popularity for silhouette portraits died out after the cameras invention

Physiognotrace

Kara Walker is known for her fearless exploration of challenging themes, employing the simplicity of silhouettes to create complex narratives that confront historical and contemporary issues. Her works often challenge viewers to reevaluate societal norms, engaging in conversations about race, gender, and power dynamics. 

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Kara Walker Contemporary Artist

Kara's process begins with writing and creating sketches of the narrative she'd like to develop

Cut-Out Silhouettes

​Large scale paper cut outs are assembled or arranged on white wall

-each panel or section is a portion of a whole story

Paper Cut Outs

​Many of Walkers silhouettes depict historical events and/or stories from books that she reimagines. Some included light installations with projections of more imagery
Ex.  inspired by Uncle Tom's Cabin (Harriet Beecher Stowe's famous abolitionist novel of 1852) it surrounds us with a series of vignettes 
The End of Uncle Tom and the Grand Allegorical Tableau of Eva in Heaven (1995)

Kara Walker (American, b. 1969), Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War (Annotated):
 Exodus of Confederates from Atlanta, edition 21/35, 2005. Offset lithography and screen print, 39 x 53 in. 
Collection of Jordan D. Schnitzer. Photo: Strode Photographic, LLC

Open Ended

Your First Thoughts:

In 3-4 words, describe Kara Walkers art so far. Think about emotions it may evoke, style, imagery, technique etc.

-Kara Walker

" I had a catharsis looking at early American varieties of silhouette cuttings... the paradox of removing a form from a blank surface that in turn creates a black hole. " 

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>> Kara Walker on the dark side of imagination video

​Notice the details in the silhouettes of the imagery and how objects are represented

How is imagery translated to us without visible shading, value, extreme detail?

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Analyze

Focus in on details of clothing, facial features, environment

How is imagery translated to us without visible shading, value, extreme detail?

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Analyze

Open Ended

How is imagery translated to us without visible shading, value, extreme detail?

​Create narrative scenes that tell a story using cutout figures inspired by Kara Walker's silhouettes

Project Objective:

• ​Brainstorm ideas for the story you'd like to tell through silhouette cut outs using the planning criteria

• Let's go to Canvas to see the assignment with full details!

FIRST STEP: