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Book Description

This catalogue was published in conjunction with “Images of Zora”, an exhibition by New York artist Ann Tanksley of monoprints, monotypes  and paintings inspired by the life and work of the writer Zora Neale  Hurston.

A Pittsburgh native and New York resident, Tanklsley has enjoyed a long  and illustrious professional career highlighted by numerous honors and artistic achievements. A graduate of the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in Pittsburgh, PA, she also studied at the Art Student League, Parsons School of Design, the Printmaking Workshop and the New School for Social Research, all in New  York, NY. She has shown in a number of solo shows throughout the U.S. and in the Middle Eastern country of Qatar. She has also shown in  numerous group shows in the U.S. and abroad. She is included in a number of publications and anthologies and can be found in many corporate and  private collections.

The catalog contains 23 black and white plates and 2 color plates. Two essays in the catalogue offer two different approaches. Faye V. Harrison has contributed an essay that contextualizes Zora, her significance across the disciplines, and the inspiration she offers artists and other cultural specialists who dare to blur the boundary between creative media and social inquiry. This assessment of the importance of Zora Neale Hurston as muse will undoubtedly enhance our appreciation of Ann Tanksley interpretative and artistic achievement with this series. Dr. Tameka Cage offers a beautifully imaginative piece that links the two women in a communion of spirit and constructs for us a sturdy bridge between the literary and the visual.

For all the impact that “Images of Zora” had when it was first shown, it did not make Ann Tanksley’s career. She had already created a remarkable body of work that had caught the attention of curators, critics and collectors, and she had developed a reputation as an artist of great sensitivity to the human condition, a well trained awareness, and an honest voice. Her commitment to the cause of social justice is evident in many of her seminal works such as Canal Builders (1986) and Hibiscus Pickers (1984). Her narratives of everyday life are intimate yet magical and so clearly illustrate her ability to blend the real and the abstract in a way that never ceases to fascinate.

Product Details
Softcover: 42 pages
Publisher: Avisca Fine Art (August 2009)
Language: English
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 8.5 inches