Kara Walker's Afterworld exhibit-Remnants of A Subtlety

Kara Walker's large scale sphinx sculpture (35' tall) A Subtlety a.k.a. the Marvelous Sugar Baby was the most memorable art experience of the summer.  Walker, known for her paper silohuettes depicting leud & oppressive images of slavery, was commissioned to make a large installation in the defunct Domino Sugar Factory in Brooklyn.  The installation featured an all white sphinx nude figure of a black woman except for an "aunt Jamima" scarf.  The installation drew long lines and close to 150,000 visitors.  The experience was open to various interpretations and was subject to demolishment exposed to the elements inside the broken down factory.  There were also several life size resin sculptures of young boys covered in molasses.  The Sikkema Jenkins Gallery in Chelsea has several remnants from the exhibition including several molasses sculptures & the fist of Sugar Baby.  There are numerous study sketches by Walker for her gargantuous figure.  Also on view are watercolors that are picturesque from a distance until you come up close & perceive the horrors depicted.  Note the large scale Turner style painting of a colorful sea landscape that reveals slave hands with chains protruding through the water.  Most entertaining are the sketches Walker made observing people interacting with her art.  If you missed Sugar Baby, don't miss this exhibit.  If you were fortunate to interface with the show, you will find sketches of reactions to her powerful & enigmatic work. Some show lude & antagonistic responses.  Walker's work does spark controversy, more importantly - dialogue.