The Idea of an Essay, Volume 3

106 The Idea of an Essay: Volume 3 and how it led to the ghetto culture. Most of the pieces, however, focus on Omar Shaheed’s life experiences, and further apply those to African American life in general. This sculpture The Family lies in the back, right corner, tucked away for the viewer to discover. It is an understated piece, cast in a dark bronze, yet situated right under the brightly colored Dope Dog saga.next to vibrant colored pencil pieces. Much of his art has a more modern feel, commenting on the hip hop era of the 80s and 90s. This piece, along with a few others, seems to go much further farther beyond the roots of the ghetto , as it were, and discusses the African beginnings of this culture. This piece depicts a family of six: two larger adults and four children, varying in size. While the six figures are distinguishable visually, there is no physical separation. Arms and heads indicate each individual, yet legs, even full bodies, are not discernible from each other. Every member of this family originates from the base of the sculpture. This family is not very tall, standing at about a foot in height. tIn contrast to the dark bronze that makes up the majority of the piece, the concave space that replaces where the faces should be are a bright metallic gold. The family is all conjoined; there are no freestanding The adult figures’ clothing is textured, one witha smaller pattern than the other., with a very basic plaid, one pattern larger than the other. There are no defining gender characteristics as the figures all lack hair. Beyond that, there are no faces. Rather, there are smooth concave surfaces that are painted gold. Also, the bodies all blend together, covering any body parts that would give the viewer the gender of the figure. Upon approaching the figure, one of the first things that can be noticed is the lack of faces. It catches the eye initially because of the metallic shine. This shine illuminates the character of the family, acting almost as a halo. If the faces were dark, it could indicate a darker attitude amongst this group. The metallic, bright faces invite the viewer in, allowing them to imagine the goodness that comes from the hearts of these people and expresses itself through a bright “face.” It further draws in the reader viewer because of the lack of something so fundamentally human. While the context of the exhibit and the coloration of the piece indicate that this family is African, the ambiguity of the sculpture allows the viewer, no matter what her background, to appreciate the aspect of family before any specifics of the family. It reminds the viewer that fundamentally,