Storytelling with Art

Two ART21 artists who have always inspired me are Kara Walker and Walton Ford. I'm intrigued by the vastly different work they do (Walker creates silhouettes while Ford uses a combination of printmaking and watercolor) because they tell similar stories with their pieces. Not only do they use different mediums to tell stories about slavery, oppression, race, gender, and sexuality, they do so in very different ways. Walker uses very literal silhouettes to show the relationships between slaves and their masters, but Ford tells his stories more figuratively with the use of animals, especially birds. Art that acts as a storytelling medium is also incredibly useful in the 21st century art classroom as we try to push for Big Ideas.

Kara Walker Insurrection!

Walton Ford Condemned