One aspect of art that gives it an unfaded charm from ancient times to the present is that it stands as a form of powerful nonverbal language. The viewers may come from different cultural backgrounds, speak different languages or have different colors of skin, but we can all relate ourselves to the artworks in a unique way, whether it is just the color, shape or texture of the artwork that helps you recollect a memory, or it is a resonance regarding the artist’s intention of creating the artwork. It’s normal for one to not fully understand the exact message an artist attempts to convey, yet he or she might amplify the meaning of the artwork by deriving their own understanding. Finding engagement, gaining new insights and being able to communicate with another mind without words are the immortal magic of art, which is the main lesson I gained from the gallery visit at Chelsea.

Of the two galleries we visited at Chelsea, I found the Luhring Augustine especially impressive. It is where theAfrican-American artist Simone Leigh made her first solo exhibition. The artworks displayed in the gallery are mainly made of simple materials like clay and hay. However, it is these primitive materials that help Leigh to better deliver what she truly wants the viewers to comprehend. One of the most noticeable features that Leigh’s sculptures all shared is that they all depict African female phenotypes, including the nose, mouth as well as the black color of the clay. Interestingly, Leigh purposely omits the eyes of the sculptures, which blurs the identity by covering the sculpture with an invisible veil and leaves the viewers infinite space to picture. Leigh places the most emphasis on the sculptures’ heads, designing them in an ambiguous way as viewers can ponder the relationship between African women and the mud and jar on top of their heads.

As we look closer and dive deeper, all the features actually connect with each other. Together as a whole, they represent the message that Leigh wants to convey. As a product of colonial era, modern aestheticsis heavily influenced by western culture under White domination. Arts relating to African female is constantly overlooked, yet ironically, the scarcity of which in mainstream is perhaps what makes Leigh’s artworks stands out. Leigh’s subtle craft gathers various elements regarding African female in one, she incorporated the traditional tools and ordinary materials that African females constantly contact with to reveal the most austere state of them. The simplicity and authenticity are what impel the viewers to wonder the stories behind the artworks. Looking at the sculpture, I not only sense Leigh’s call for appreciation toward arts relating to African female, but also started to contemplate the standards of modern aesthetics — are we unconsciously directed in a way to “naturally” appreciate arts of western European origin yet overlooked those of other minorities?