Standing on the Foundation of American Prosperity
“Our perception of time often pushes events backward or forwards, but to me, they're all present simultaneously.” Willie Cole
From slave ships to the Underground Railroad, slave quarters to lunch counters, Jim Crow to integration, cotton fields to the first elected Black President, George Floyd, and Black Lives Matter, the Black American experience is a tapestry woven with moments of resilience, struggle, progress, and calls for justice and equality, cinched by courage and hope for a brighter day.
Rugs have a rich historical context as essential elements of human culture and artistry, often serving as functional floor coverings and intricate works of art. The first known examples of knotting textiles similar to rugs can be traced back to ancient African civilizations, where the art of macrame (a form of textile produced using knotting techniques) was developed. These early techniques laid the foundation for creating more sophisticated and elaborate rug-making traditions worldwide, showcasing the importance of textiles in human history and the evolution of craftsmanship over time.
Just as a rug lays a foundation for a room, offering a canvas for intricate designs and patterns to unfold, the thread of American history serves as a foundation for contemplation, weaving together the diverse threads of the nation’s past to create a complex and rich narrative. Each thread in a rug represents a different culture, event, or individual, much like the various elements that have contributed to shaping America’s identity. By examining these intricate weavings of history, one can better understand the complexities, challenges, and triumphs that have defined the American experience. The rug created by Willie Cole, entitled Original Sin, challenges the viewer to decide if the rug should be on the wall or the floor.
Willie Cole is a multidisciplinary artist who defines himself as a “perceptual engineer.” His work is a profound amalgam of cultural narratives and histories that spans drawing, printmaking, painting, sculpture and installation. He is best known for transforming domestic objects such as irons, ironing boards, hair dryers, shoes, and others into pivotal artistic statements that speak to the complexity of African American life.
Cole’s American roots are fertile ground for his artistry, which he nurtures through the rich soil of classic African American expressions in the literary, performing, and visual arts. His work echoes the sorrowful yet resilient melodies of the blues, the improvisational spirit of jazz, the narrative ballads of country music, and the syncopated rhythms of African drumming.
His artistic practice reflects an innovative and diverse approach to contemporary art. Cole’s most iconic works include sculptures using women’s shoes and iron scorched patterns on various materials with a recurring motif. The iron is a symbol of domestic labor. It also alludes to branding irons, thus evoking the painful history of enslavement. The scorch patterns also resemble ceremonial African masks reflecting 54 countries with over 3000 ethnicities and languages. Through such imagery, Cole creates a dialogue between the past and present, crafting a linear historical pedigree designed and substantiated by his hand.
The skill and craftsmanship of Original Sin are like the intricate threads woven together in Willie Cole’s rug, creating a pattern of creativity and mastery that reflects a deep understanding and appreciation of the art form. The rug’s use of silhouettes, light, and shadow symbolizes broader socio-political issues around race, identity, and social justice, which creates a bridge between historical and modern contexts. Just as skilled artisans meticulously crafted the rug in Nepal, Willie Cole’s work demonstrates a high level of craftsmanship, attention to detail, and artistic expression that captivates viewers and showcases the beauty of skilled hands.
Original Sin stands as a powerful symbol of historical narratives and cultural significance because of the image of the Brooks Slave Ship diagram (also known as the Brooks diagram). Created by the British abolitionist and publisher Thomas Clarkson in 1789, the diagram depicted the optimal way to pack captured Africans in a slave ship cargo hold, showcasing the horrifyingly cramped and dehumanizing conditions in which they were transported across the Atlantic Ocean.
The British abolitionist group, Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade in the British Empire, used it to raise awareness about the inhumane conditions on slave ships. It was widely circulated and helped to galvanize public opinion against the slave trade. This was a crucial step that contributed to the abolition of the slave trade in 1807.
This image conveys the immense value of hope to keep pushing forward, courage to stand up in the face of injustice, and determination to make each step toward a more just society. The most recent connection between the rug and the Brooks slave ship diagram was in 2019 when the Alabama Historical Commission announced that the wreckage of the 180 “passenger” Clotilda slave ship (c 1856) had been found, only to be contrasted by the Brooks slave ship (1781) with a capacity for 280 “passengers”. Through this lens, Willie Cole's Original Sin emerges as the embodiment of a transformative narrative, where each step taken represents a dynamic interplay between the echoes of a painful past and the rhythms of hope, resilience, celebration empowerment, and cultural revitalization.
In this illustrative comparison, the image of the Brooks Slave Ship diagram and Willie Cole's Original Sin serve as conduits for exploring the intersections of art, history, and social consciousness. They highlight the transformative power of visual storytelling in conveying complex narratives and shedding light on issues of oppression and resilience. Just as the image of the Brooks Slave Ship diagram speaks to the enduring legacy of slavery and injustice, Original Sin stands as a testament to the power of art to confront, transcend, and ultimately transform the narratives of the past into a vibrant and evolving tapestry of meaning and possibility.
If any of the shoe sculptures for which Cole is known were to walk upon this work, they might tread upon the intricate patterns of a painful past, each step resonating with the weight of inhumane history. Yet, in their movement, they could also be interpreted as attempting to stomp out that pain, to reshape and transcend it, or to dance in jubilant celebration akin to Juneteenth, evoking the spirit of resilience and triumph over adversity or standing on the foundations of American prosperity.
When Cole encountered the Brooks Slave ship diagram as a child, his initial impression was not a historical document detailing the inhumane conditions of the Middle Passage. Instead, he saw it as another kind of mask. This early interpretation was a poignant testament to a young mind trying to make sense of the visual patterns before fully grasping the harrowing historical context. This is a profound example of how art and imagery can be interpreted through various lenses, including experience, culture, and innocence. This mask-like interpretation of his childhood would inform how he approached the diagram, not simply as a record of atrocity but as a complex symbol of identity, suffering, and survival. Cole’s earliest encounter as a child with the Brooks slave ship diagram laid the groundwork for Cole’s future artistic explorations.
As an adult, he would return to this image, fully aware of its historical significance. Cole transforms the diagram from a static historical document into a dynamic, living conversation about ancestry, memory, and the resilience of the human spirit. Both the rug and diagram remind us of the power of art to bear witness, provoke change, and inspire empathy. He underscores the enduring relevance of visual storytelling in shaping our understanding of the world and our place within it. They embody a rich tapestry of cultural influences, creative techniques, and personal narratives that resonate with audiences profoundly, inviting them to explore the interconnectedness of art, culture and history.
While in Liberia, Cole saw the first iron that inspired the creation of the infamous Scorches. The iron had been run over by a truck. It was a mangled mess and became the catalyst for him to reflect on Liberia’s civil war (1989-2003), in which 250,000 men, women, and children died. At that time, the iron scorches reflected the spirit of ‘that mess through the iron.’ Through its shape powered by the degree of the burn silhouetting the steam openings, including the scent of burn reflects its beauty.
Original Sin encourages viewers to contemplate themes of identity, memory, and transformation, much like how Cole’s iron scorches serve as conduits for connecting with ancestral spirits, communal histories, and the mysteries of the universe. The integration of Willie Cole's use of found objects and African cultural traditions in textiles and floor coverings underscores the enduring influence of heritage and tradition on contemporary artistic practices. It illustrates how artists can draw inspiration from the past to create innovative and thought-provoking works that bridge cultural boundaries and spark conversations about identity, memory, and human experience.
Original Sin invites viewers to consider the enduring legacies of slavery, colonization, and systemic injustices while celebrating marginalized communities' resilience, creativity, and agency.
Halima Taha c www.tahathinks.art