Palmer Museum Visit

Upon visiting the Art Museum at Penn State, there was one piece of art that caught my eye. This specific art piece, made by Willie Cole in 2005-2006, was given the name Harlem Rose. The sculpture was comprised of “worn, scuffed female shoes”. The Harlem Rose has a circular shape and within that shape there are black shoes jutting out, making it a three dimensional work of art. The back shoes are pointing outward so that the toes are facing the viewer. Each shoe is carefully placed in a different direction so that it looks like a shrub. No matter what angle the viewer is standing, the individual will always see about half the souls of the shoes.

Willie Cole did not make this specific piece of art while physically experiencing a notable time in history. Instead, he made this sculpture with the Civil Rights Movement in mind. Willie wanted to portray the struggles that African Americans had to experience during the Montgomery bus boycott. The shoes connect with the Civil Rights movement because it “suggests the fragile beauty of a once vibrant urban center for African Americans”. The Harlem Rose is in conversation with that movement because the shoes are a representation of the black women who participated in the boycott, and it symbolizes the dedication each female had when walking across town to go to work. This piece is a social comment to the society in which those women lived in during the 1960’s.

This piece applies to the pathos appeal in many ways. It makes me have empathy towards the women whom did not have equal rights. This piece displays the pain in which these woman faced. At the same time, I have respect for the African American women during that time period. The Harlem Rose shows their resistance and the battle they faced against an unaccepting society. I feel respect towards them because a majority of these women handled it with such grace.

This work of art has a sense of credibility because Willie Cole was an African American himself. Therefore, he felt a strong connection with the African Americans and was aware of their past history through relatives. In the early 1990’s, Willie specialized in shoes. He then was fascinated with taking these shoes and creating “artifacts from other cultures”. Willie Cole’s other pieces of art are either sculptures or printmakers that are assembled from “irons, blow dryers, bicycle parts, etc”.

This piece makes a claim that during the Civil Rights Movement there were many women experiencing a life of hardship. They were all fighting for the same thing and came together as one in doing so. The shoes are all the same color, which represents the African American’s skin color.

My first time at the museum was an interesting experience. I normally do not usually go to museums in my free time, however I enjoyed looking at the sculptures. It was fascinating to see how each piece of art represented a given time period. Although it was a valuable experience I would not revisit the museum. I enjoy art that is more interactive rather than visual.