In a means, Rembert’s tales remind us of how the tales of the Jim Crow period have stood the take a look at of time. We keep in mind the previous as a means of appreciating what we now have now. Should you grew up with the principles that solely apply to individuals along with your pores and skin shade, you’ve a distinct outlook than others. His artwork is his reminiscence, from courthouses to jails to pool halls. He manages to have nostalgia for a interval that he would by no means what to repeat.
The e-book is primarily a memoir about his experiences with racism and Jim Crow, however many pages comprise photos of his paintings; due to this fact, it’s a fast learn however not straightforward. For instance, describing a near-lynching in matter-of-fact element is a feat. Like most tales about civil rights, it shocks me how lately all this was nonetheless happening. It makes me really feel unhealthy for stressing about little issues in my life. Not less than I’m not working 5 jobs for the best to dwell.
From an artwork perspective, it amazes me that Rembert used leather-based as his main medium, with damp leather-based mixed with paper and tracing. After I studied Artwork Historical past as an elective in faculty, I keep in mind to not choose artwork as higher or worse primarily based on accessible supplies. You need to remind your self about this mind-set typically.
To say that it’s by no means too late to turn out to be who you need to be is extremely cliché; nonetheless, Rembert lives as an enslaved particular person, laborer, and legal earlier than he discovers his true expertise as an artist. Nonetheless, his experiences made him who he’s. Just like the antiheroes we now have come to like in varied collection, he had a heck of a life main to at least one distinctive story. His artwork lets him move on components of his life that will have disappeared.
