Customer Reviews

Painting a Hidden Life: The Art of Bill Traylor

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Painting a Hidden Life is a bold story from a man who could not read or write. His art tells the story and the author has read his art so we can know his story and that of so many others. Bill Traylor was representative of a generation of people who went through the transition from slavery to "freedom" in the United States. His life was like so many others, only his art made him standout. It expresses the pain and endurance of an injustice to many. The author chronicles his life as much as possible to show how his art was shaped by his history. It is a very satifying read that gives a window into a seldom thought about piece of history.

I wish I could give this book more stars, but a week after finishing it and I am still undecided about. It has many good aspects about it, the author's research in information she tries to connect to Traylor's work is excellent and we should read it just for that (sections on blues history and conjuring among others), but it is her attempt to make that connection to Traylor that makes me waiver. Is everything she's trying to say possible? Well, yes, I suppose it could be, but some of it seems so improbable (Traylor as a Mason?). Conjurer? Yeah, I could see that. Social commentary? Yes, I suppose I can understand that too. But she wants to make a lot of the sexual nature of Traylor's work that doesn't jibe with the visuals. One moment a symbol is one thing,the next few pages it is something else. She addresses the iconography and its social ramifications, but, for me, she is trying way too hard to make connections so her theories prove true. The illustrations are interesting, but the paper on which they are printed is too soft to reveal some of the details that might otherwise make her point. Taken in combination with other books, this does give a fuller look at the enigma that is Bill Traylor.