Ancestral Intelligence/Birdlike Women
Visual Artist | Cheryl Edwards
Exhibition | Order and Chaos
Curators | Eduarda Oliveira and Elizabeth Casqueiro
Listen to the audio of the Work
Voiceover David Warren
The Work
Ancestral Intelligence/Birdlike Women has a palette where the three figures are primarily Brown and Black and Dark Brown. There are three figures in this painting. In the foreground overlaying the figures are large green ferns. The painting has a substrate of wood circular panel with a 30-inch diameter. The drawing is deeply carved to be able to trace the lines of the composition by touch; as well as some areas are texturized to enhance the perception.
Starting from the left of the painting figure #1 is in the foreground with deep purple mountains behind. Figure #1 head is crowned by orange red tight coils. Figure #1 has in the bottom half of the body a hippopotamus. This hippo is Taweret an Egyptian goddess known as a protector of mothers and children; associated with childbirth and fertility. She is shown standing upright on her hind legs, with the head and body of a hippo, the tail of a crocodile and paws of a lioness with a rounded pregnant belly and heavy breasts.
The middle figure #2 is brown with horizontal stripes and her head which is black with blue dots placed upon the side of the face is surrounded by Costa Rican Birds. The birds are from circular left to right are as follows: Resplendent quetzal (black, green and red); Toucan (black, yellow, red and green beak and white front body); Great Tail Grackle (black with a grey, white beak) and Resplendent quetzal (green and red with a yellow beak).
Figure #3 is also in the foreground of a deep purple mountain as the background. Figure 3 has a head full of braids. The lower part of the figure also has an image of Taweret, a hippo depicting the Ancient Egyptian Deity of fertility.
The Artist
Cheryl D. Edwards, an African American artist (b. 1954) in Miami Beach, Florida. She began her studies in art during 1987 in New York City in a class at the Art Student League taught by Ernest Crichlow. She has been living in Washington, DC for the past 31 years. Her medium is oil, ink, printmaking, mixed media, and acrylics. Edwards is a recipient of many awards and has exhibited throughout the United States and internationally.
O R D E R A N D C H A O S
I N C L U S I V E A R T . T O U C H , I T ’ S A R T !