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Eric Beltz, Since I Laid My Burden Down, 2007 |
49.
SINCE I LAID MY BURDEN DOWN BY THE ELDERS MCINTORSH AND EDWARDS' SANCTIFIED
SINGERS, 1929 REMIX: ERIC BELTZ, SINCE I LAID MY BURDEN DOWN, 2007 This drawing refers to the so called ‘negro hymnals’, such as this song, which have been described as attempts to escape the harsh realities of the onerous life of an individual who, by their race, is destined to suffer. This reading has been disputed as too passive and apologetic, coming from an outsider's perspective. Viewed instead as empowering, the hymnal can be part of a social occasion and an opportunity to positively affirm the power of a group. Raised by his grandparents, both of whom were farmers and grew up in the Depression, the figure in Beltz’s drawing is based upon his own grandfather. The subject is, however, darker skinned with a skull replacing the head, allowing for a broader interpretation of his race and identity. Death in this drawing represents personal empowerment, sacrifice (as the chicken and the figure meet the same fate), epiphany, cycles of abuse and desperate sadness. Eric Beltz is a California based artist and has previously exhibited in Junc Gallery and Acuna-Hansen Gallery in Los Angeles, Domestic Setting in Santa Monica and Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana. www.ericbeltz.com |
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