WILLIAM VILLALONGO
Moonwalker, 2023
Acrylic, velvet flocking and paper collage on wood panel
76 1/4 x 36 x 2 3/4 in.
Copyright The Artist
Various healing crystals and brightly colored drinking gourds, symbols of protection and guidance, work to define the body in 'Moonwalker.' The crystals, specifically obsidian and quartz, are believed to shield...
Various healing crystals and brightly colored drinking gourds, symbols of protection and guidance, work to define the body in "Moonwalker." The crystals, specifically obsidian and quartz, are believed to shield against negative energies and dissolve emotional blockages. The gourds reference the American folk song “Follow the Drinking Gourd," the lyrics allegedly encoded with instructions for escape along the Underground Railroad. The figure is encircled by butterflies, a symbol of metamorphosis and a reference to the evolution of Black identity and the importance of transformation.
Provenance
International African American Museum, 2024Exhibitions
"William Villalongo: Black Menagerie," Susan Inglett Gallery, NYC 7 September 2023 - 14 October, 2023."Follow the North Star: Freedom in the Age of Mobility" IAAM 23 May - 3 November 2024.