Mini Post #1: Wangechi Mutu

Rowan Hessen 

January 28, 2020

Art and Women 

Professor Cacoilo

Mini Post #1: Wangechi Mutu

     Wangechi Mutu is a Kenyan multimedia artist who does collages, installations, sculptures, paintings, and videos. In her artwork, she uses clips from magazines, medical illustrations, pornography, fur, Kenyan soil, synthetic hair, and much more. Her artwork covers many themes such as identity, violence, gender, race, and colonialism. Many of her pieces have been labeled as "Afrofuturism," a blend of the African diaspora with technology and science, revisioning the past and imagining the future. Many of Mutu's collages and paintings deal with the violence, objectification, misrepresentation, and injustice that black women face. Mutu uses female bodies and morphs them, sometimes with the animals and inspiration from diseases, and creates rather repulsive images. It produces the idea that the undesired and desired parts of women should be accepted and embraces.

My Strength Lies, 2006. Wangechi Mutu

     This is one of the many pieces where the colors and tones have captivated me. It has a cool and warmed-toned vignette and beautiful collages. If you look closer you can see that the collage consists of pictures of motor pieces, stacks of books, and even hair. The more thank human creature on the right seems to be holding one if their legs and walking away from a black woman who stands on top of a mountain. It shows that the figure on the right has been defeated from an act of violence, most likely genocide or colonialism, while the black woman stands atop. There are signs of optimism since the black woman is creating a ladder going both directions. It is a sign of perseverance and strength that women, specifically black women hold during times of violence and injustice. The piece is rather horrifyingly beautiful. 

The Seated II, 2019. Wangechi Mutu

     More than a decade later from the previous piece, The Seated II, is a part of a sculpture collection "The NewOnes will free Us" for The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The sculptures are made from bronze, 7 feet tall, and are weighed more than 840 pounds. The disc on her forehead references the accessories worn by women in some African tribes. Her stance shows her to be strong and independent. The women are supposed to go against the societal standard that women are made to support others and be caretakers. Instead, Mutu presents women as leaders, Mutu stating that they "keep the DNA of the woman in an active pose". Mutu's message is women are not just there to tend for others and their commands, but they are people who are able to lead and be someone on top.

Link about Mutu's workspaces: https://www.culturedmag.com/wangechi-mutu-video/