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Introspection: The Junior S**t-Show

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Sofia Montgomery
Redacted by Sofia Montgomery

Redacted is an installation that serves as a commentary about the silencing of Black women in America. Whether it be her voice, her presence, or her existence, historically, Black women’s narratives are often neglected or ignored while the attention is given elsewhere. It’s likely given to those who are deemed more important, which is a testament to the society that we live in. Thus, Black women are left to overcome their obstacles or trauma themselves. Her point of view is effectively abandoned while the stories provided by her peers outshine her sentiments. Redacted aims to showcase a physical manifestation of what a Black woman experiences and what it feels like to be silenced. The installation space and lack of light is meant to serve as an intimate setting so that the viewer is fully immersed in the experience and trauma of Black women, as well as a physical representation of how in the dark some spectators can be.

The first piece in the installation is a 30 in x 62 in oil painting on canvas. The painting serves as a symbol for Black erasure. The black clothes are meant to blend into the background of the canvas as if they weren’t there, while also showing no hints of the wearer. The hoodie is also a nod to the tragic murder of Trayvon Martin, who was shot while wearing a hoodie and carrying a pack of skittles. The words on the hoodie, “GO HOME”, are meant to address the viewer, telling them to leave the wearer alone and let her exist, while also being a message to the wearer, insinuating that she should go home for her own protection, even though we know one’s home doesn’t guarantee their own safety (RIP Breonna Taylor).

The second piece is a video installation displayed on a staticky television. Black women are rarely given a presence of voice on television. The best chances for a Black woman to gain awareness are through social media or association to white peers. She’s often cut out of the conversation. She’s written about or talked about, but is rarely passed the microphone herself. The distortion in the video and the lack of sound represents her being silenced. The video is played on a loop to represent how often this silence is repeated, never being properly brought into the light.

The third piece is a 15 ½ in x 22 ½ coffee bag with painted text. Because both the coffee bag and text are black, it makes the statement nearly illegible. The quote is one by Zora Neale Hurston, an American author who, even though is known as one of the best African American writers, died penniless due to the lack of support and respect for her writing. The quote is printed on a coffee bag received from Nirvana Soul, a Black-owned coffee shop in the Bay Area that supports Black artists. The technique used to create this piece is inspired by Black conceptual artist, Glenn Ligon.

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INTROSPECTION: THE JUNIOR S**T-SHOW
A culmination of works from our days and nights alone with our thoughts of the past, present, and future.

With already a year of isolation and quarantine under their belt, the 9 juniors at Chapman University reflect on their time spent alone through their show, Introspection; The Junior S**t Show. For some, this forced time of solitude has been one of spiritual and self exploration. For some, the already terrible situation of being in a pandemic was heightened by blasts from the past, stress over the present, and a painful mixture of dread and hope for the future. For all, it has been an absolute “s**t-show,” to put it lightly.

Some may ask, “Who are the Juniors? What do they bring to the table?” To that, they respond that they aren’t a monolith of like-minded artists, yet when they arrive together, they’re a wave. Social injustice, mental health, self-discovery and introspection are included in their “shit show.” They find it quite fitting that the themes they address all have the commonality of the human condition, as they’ve had ample time with little to no human interaction.

For a year now, they’ve only known each other through screens. They’ve experienced the uncertainty of the pandemic with an intangible community of faces staring back at them. The Juniors would like to take this moment to give a shout out to Zoom for being a forum to sustain any bit of normalcy that remains. Go try telling past you from a year ago that there’s an art show you can experience in bed, pantsless, banana bread in hand and toilet paper stock-piled in the cabinet. If you do show up pantsless, please don’t tell anyone though.
Although there have been countless roadblocks in the past year, the Juniors have prevailed. There is much to be said about a class that faces adversity and wins together. To celebrate this success, the nine of them would’ve loved to give everyone in attendance donuts; a similar bribe that has seemingly worked wonders for Krispy Kreme. However, given that this show is virtual, the postage would’ve been above our budget ($0) so you’ll have to settle for our art instead.

Please join us for the reception on April, 14th from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM.