© Estate of Robert Colescott / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
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A Taste of Gumbo
1990
Artwork Viewer
Originally from Oakland, California, iconoclast, colorist, and humorist Robert Colescott creates multilayered narratives that highlight the complexities of race and gender in the United States. Colescott’s paintings often provide viewers with ample opportunities to decode symbols associated with the making of the United States.Â
A Taste of Gumbo employs a popular dish with deep roots in Louisiana to critique those who selectively sample Black American cultures yet overlook their origins and power relations. The scene depicts the dream of a Black woman painted in profile, who envisions a montage of anti-Black stereotypes. At the center of this tableau, a white woman holds a spoonful of gumbo, her lips tentatively pursed as she pauses to taste this dish.
- Artist
- Robert Colescott
- Title
- A Taste of Gumbo
- Date
- 1990
- Object Type
- Painting
- Medium
- Acrylic on canvas
- Dimensions
- Object: 84 x 72 in. (213.4 x 182.9 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Arlene and Harold Schnitzer in honor of Diane B. Wilsey and John and Lucy Buchanan
- Accession Number
- 2006.149
