Savannah, Georgia. Owens Thomas House & Slave Quarters.
Sharon Norwood, mixed media
On display May 18th - September 12th, 2023.
As current and contemporary instillation located in the Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters, Look/See is a thought provoking artwork that takes its viewer back in time while being a relative tether to the present. Sharon Norwood gives the space of a typical 19th century front parlor room a sobering transition—from that of pure beauty, comfort and luxury to one of hardships, perseverance and labor. She places this piece in a home where she herself describes having to do “metal gymnastics,” which I imagine most might feel similar emotions.
When walking into the Front Parlor/Drawing Room you are immediately confronted with overturn, broken porcelain (one of the main working materials that Sharon Norwood uses in her practice), peanuts, bricks and books. The sound you hear when entering can almost be alarming, at times the breaking of china and the ringing of a bell can be heard going off, immersing you into the space and with the objects you are engaging with. The sound component, to me, is the most impactful piece of the whole work. Sound is universal, and travels across all cultures, languages and peoples understanding on what emotions are supposed to be conveyed when hearing the noise. One may not know all the context and Southern history that is needed to get the work, but you can tell something is not normal, disrupted if you will.
My favorite time to view the work is in the evening glow, when the sun is almost gone from the skyline of the city surrounding the home. The coils shine with a luminescence that seem to trick the eye into seeing, perhaps, these coils moving and morphing into some mathematical 4D object. A floral ouroboros that begs your attention in the corners of the rooms. The bricks bring me back to reality, ground me in a sense and remind me I am on the earth. Sharon Norwood also comments on the bricks, explaining that they themselves are the foundations that hold together perhaps the table, chairs and of course our feet as we walk through the city. They represent something more than building materials, but the individuals who were the literal foundation of this home. The people who kept this house running, who kept the enslavers lifestyle intact. Painting some of the bricks gold places these seemingly throw-away objects into ones of value. The food scattered about the tables gives a sense of playfulness but also the idea of luxury and wealth. But importantly the figure on the fore table, blots of gold paint are present on its face and chest (perhaps over his heart in fact). The figure has no pupils, no irises, but still the emotion of the face is present in its eyes. Light shines from within him, layers of who this person is are present. I get lost in the eyes.
I attended the artist talk for the piece, and Sharon Norwood‘s descriptions and insight on the conception for the piece was inspiring. Specifically with the sounds she uses, which intrigued me the most. When she was thinking about the sounds however, she specifically mentions she did not want to make something that was overbearing (specifically annoying in to the employees who work in the space). Which, to me was a little sad. I would not want the artist to limit themselves in any way creatively to areas, but at the same time it is the name of the game. Something artists deal with on a regular basis. I wish that they didn’t. Sharon Norwood mentions that the conception with the piece and her role in creating it was one to pay homage to the people who lived in this area, desendents of the enslaved people of the Savannah region. She herself is originally from Canada, so her relationship with the space and area is different from that of natives here. She states this, and how she wanted to make sure she was doing right and justice to these individuals without assuming she knew everything about their personal experience and lived experiences as well.
I love this piece, as I work with the art every day and get to spend a lot of time viewing the piece, getting familiar with it and to know it. It’s powerful, yet subtle. It reminds you that one can get lost in the romantic architecture and beauty of the home, get lost in the style of life and leisure that the family got to experience. It brings one back to reality, to remember the lived experiences of the enslaved people; the ones who were making this luxury take place. Because I love art, objects and architecture it is lovely to see a piece like this in a historic home. I hope to see more like this in the Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters, as well as through other homes I ever visit. Bringing the past into the present, making it relevant for us today to connect with.
My only concern with such an impactful piece as this would be the lack of time one is able to spend seeing the work and unpacking all there is with the work itself. Guided tours need to be quick, so the total time that one is able to spend with the work is at max 5 minutes. With such a complicated piece a viewer needs to spend time thinking and listening. It is hard to do when guiding people through. When audio tours commence, it is a better opportunity for this work to shine, as the viewer and visitor to the home has as much time as is needed to stand and view the piece. To really listen, think and question what it is that they are experiencing. I wish there was more time for the guided tours to spend in the room (as they are the ones that most guests go through, so more individuals perhaps not viewing as much). However, I am aware that most people do not know or care what it is they are viewing, so perhaps it is not an issue to most visitors like it is for myself.
If you are in Savannah, GA anytime before September 12th, please take the opportunity to view this Installation Look/See.
Click HERE to view more of her work.
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