ABOUT THE EXHIBIT
Des Moines-based, Iowa-born artist b. Robert Moore is known for powerful, striking works of art that confront issues of social justice and Black identity. Visually and emotionally direct, Moore frequently draws on his own biography for inspiration, likewise on the experiences and identities of friends and family members. References to art history and material culture, including flags and gravestones, abound in his work. For Moore, the political is intensely personal, and the personal political.
Featuring the recently acquired “Kin to War” along with new works created specifically for this, his first solo exhibition at a museum, including several paintings and two ambitious installations, this iteration of the Art Center’s acclaimed Iowa Artists series will inspire conversation and community gathering.
ARTIST STATEMENT
“Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take."
In memoriam or “in loving memory” symbolizes the idea that the memory of someone extends past their life. Often found on memorials, tombstones and in remembrance of someone deceased. Essentially immortalizing that loved one in a physical form with a headstone, story or legacy. The act of mourning can also include celebration of life, past and new. (Life After Death) This body of work dissects how the American experience shaped the structure (or de-structure) of the Black Family and home. The foundation of the American family, like many Black families, was shaped by the history of America’s past, present and future. The experience of the White American family, the Black American family and the Interracial American family can be vastly different while similar. Exploring the dichotomy of the American family experience and history including sentiments of American iconography throughout this body of work is intended to provoke conversation of relatability, of empathy and connection.
Dissecting the themes of black and white; absence and presence; life and death; and White and Black are the most contrasting yet complimentary themes I could personally relate to but also felt could be consumed on a global scale.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that” – Dr. Martin Luther King
The conversation of the dichotomy of Black and White, in a literal sense and also in the sense of racial identity is a focal point of this work. The Sun and the Moon both need to be present in order for life to continue; just like seeking the truth in the day and night.
My grandma would say, “What’s done in the dark will come to light”.
