Silhouetted Stereotypes in the Art of Kara Walker

Kara Walker explores traditional narratives of race and gender power dynamics in her black and white silhouette installations. By presenting most figures in the same black color, racial and individual features are realized through detail. The theme of consumption is prevalent in Walker's work, such as the consumption of people as products in the slave trade as well as the consumption of breast milk in modern versions of the Madonna lactans. Walker's work draws on traditional intersections of race, class, and gender dynamics to create an original commentary on the cultural consumption of materials, beings, and art. Despite this commentary, Walker does not offer a clear stance on these issues and leaves the audience without a resolution to her shocking silhouettes.