Bisa Butler: Portraits at the Art Institute of Chicago

"The Safety Patrol" (2018)

I love it when a plan comes together. (Yes, I'm quoting the A-Team.) In this case, the plan was hatched when I sent Deb and Libbie some info about an exhibit of Bisa Butler's vibrant quilts at the Art Institute of Chicago. I'd seen an ad in Art Daily or some other art-related email, and Butler's work just jumped off the page. Libbie immediately said, "Let's go!" And so we did. 

I didn't read much about Butler before seeing the exhibit. I generally like to go in cold. I did, however, know that her work is influenced by Romaine Bearden's collages, Faith Ringgold's quilts, Gordon Parks' photographs and AfriCOBRA (which stands for the African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists). But it wasn't until I entered the first gallery that it all came together. The colors. The textures. The layering. Looking at images of Butler's quilts truly does not do them justice. And then there's the social relevance of her work. 

"Southside Sunday Morning" (2018)

Many of Butler's quilts are recreations of historical photographs. "Southside Sunday Morning" is a faithful interpretation of Russell Lee's photograph "Negro Boys on Easter Morning" (with a bit of color added). The year was 1941, and Lee was a photographer with the Farm Security Administration's documentary photography project. While the project initially focused on rural America (think Dorothea Lange's iconic "Migrant Mother"), photographers turned their lenses on city dwellers in the 1940s. I am just in love with these boys dressed to the nines on their way to Easter Sunday service. Note not only the hats but that the second kid from the left is wearing knickers. They are just too cool for school (or church!)  Click here to see Lee's photograph and to read about one of the subjects. 

"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" (2019) 

The story behind the four women captured in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" speaks to me. These women were students at Atlanta University at the turn of the 20th century. Their frank gazes let viewers know they are serious about taking control of their own lives and futures, as do the fabrics Butler used in the work. The title of the quilt comes, of course, from the Maya Angelou book of the same name. And so it's fitting that one woman's outfit includes two caged birds just waiting for an opportunity to get out into the world. Another woman's hat features a fabric known as "Speed Bird" and represents that she is going places. And then there's the skirt fabric called "Michelle's Shoes." (Coincidentally, the Obama Portraits are on display as well at the Art Institute.) For pictures of this quilt showing these details, click here. Truly fabulous. And to see the photograph that inspired this work, click here. 

"The Princess" (2018)

Not all of Butler's quilts contain historical references. Some are personal, like this portrait of "The Princess." Shown here is one of Butler's friends who immigrated from Jamaica to the U.S. when she was six years old. Her face conveys the bravery required to uproot yourself from your home and venture into a new life. Chin up, it'll be fine. But there's more to the work than apprehension. Butler's choice of colors -- particularly the yellow -- indicates excitement and happiness. 

Butler's father is from Ghana, and many of the fabrics used in her quilts are sourced there. As noted above, the patterns often have their own stories to tell that enhance Butler's narratives. The striking colors are intentionally chosen not only as an homage to traditional African clothing. They also dovetail perfectly with the "Kool-Aid" colors employed by AfriCOBRA artists. (FYI, AfriCOBRA works are also known for their positive images of Black people and for playing with the line between abstraction and representation.) It's worth noting that one of Butler's professors at Howard University was Jeff Donaldson, co-founder of AfriCOBRA. I was fascinated to learn that he sometimes had his students begin with a black canvas rather than the traditional white. Just think about that for a moment. 

"Broom Jumpers" (2019)

I'll leave you with Butler's "Broom Jumpers," a wedding portrait of a young couple. The fabric of the groom's pants with its big diamond rings is just perfect. In case you're curious about the title, broom jumping is a historic tradition in Black wedding ceremonies. In the days of slavery, couples who wanted to marry but were not legally permitted to do so would often "jump the broom" to signify their union. (This custom might ring a faint bell if you watched Alex Haley's "Roots.") I love the way Butler works so much history into every component of her quilts. 

And here's something fun about the exhibit -- Butler and her husband (who's a professional DJ) put together a play list with songs for each work. Their selection for "Broom Jumpers" was "At Last" by Etta James.  The lyrics begin with, "At last/my love has come along/My lonely days are over/And life is like a song." What a lovely sentiment for the newlyweds. And just to return to "Southside Sunday Morning" for a moment, the song matched with that work is "Move On Up" by Curtis Mayfield. It goes, in part, "Just move on up/Toward your destination/Though you may find, from time to time, complication."

To see inside Butler's studio and hear her talk about her work, click here. There are also links to articles about the play list for the exhibit and the people portrayed in her work. In case you haven't figured it out, I'm a huge fan.  

Bisa Butler: Portraits is running at the Art Institute through September 6. Get there if you can.