Lorna Simpson Collages

January 29, 2018
Hair plays significantly in the work
of Brooklyn artist Simpson, as poet Elizabeth Alexander notes in her introduction to this electrifying monograph of Simpson’s collages: “Black women’s heads of hair are galaxies unto themselves, solar systems, moonscapes, volcanic interiors. The hair paints has a mind of its own. It is sinuous and cloudy and fully alive. It is forest and ocean, its own emotional weather. ” The collages, reproduced one per page within, pair raw gemstones with photographs, mostly of black women, collected from vintage advertisements. The women’s hair are made up of the crystalline or shiny black stones, honoring the multidimensional quality of natural hair. The gemstone collages are presented as vintage scientific plates, the conglomerations of women and minerals. In the latter half
of the book, the collages are simpler but equally as bold, each construction featuring a single cutout with hair rendered in flame or wave-like washes of paint. Simpson’s use of repeated motifs mimics the mass production of fashion magazines, and she occasionally includes snippets of phrases taken from the original ads where the images first appeared (“Put on your Afro pony tail and swish those superflies away!”). Simpson’s collages maintain an element of surprise and visual power page after page. Color illus.

August 1, 2018

Contemporary artist Simpson is well regarded for her conceptual photography, which explores the image of African American women through the lenses of gender, culture, and history, often with a focus on hairstyles, as evidenced by the works presented here. A brief introduction by poet/scholar Elizabeth Alexander illuminates the experiences of black women expressed in Simpson's art. Also included is an artist statement, derived from phrases in the advertisements from which Simpson pulled the images in the collages. With the earliest works dating back to 2011, the most recent from 2017, this is strictly a catalog of Simpson's collages and does not feature a biography, exhibition history, or critical interpretation. Those seeking an analysis of the work should consider monographs by Kellie Jones and others or by Okwui Enwezor, Helaine Posner, and Hilton Als instead. VERDICT Will be a valuable resource for readers well acquainted with Simpson's career while piquing the interest of those less familiar. Readers interested in art featuring African American women and themes of beauty will also be captivated.--Shannon Marie Robinson, Drexel Univ. Libs., Philadelphia

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