The Art of Opportunity

Wednesday proved to be the first day with a little disappointment. With my partner in crime and his girlfriend recently departed, our crew count had decreased and I was disappointed to see them go. Still, the events of the week were in full effect. Wednesday morning began with a very elegant brunch at Clyde’s of Gallery Place. The dialogue proved insightful and enjoyable while the food was superb. If you ever get a chance to visit the establishment, be sure to support the new addition to the menu – the Walnut Banana Split. Our next stop was the Smithsonian museum and the president’s exhibit. The exhibit reminded me that there have been some amazing men who have held the office of commander-in-chief and made me proud to know that President Obama has the opportunity to be recorded as one of these notable men.

My only regret from this experience is that I did not take more pictures of the artwork. There is one piece that sticks out in my mind. I hesitate to describe the painting for fear of jading your interpretation with my reference points, but the depiction is too much for me to keep inside.

A Visit From the Old Mistress - Winslow Homer (1876)

This painting is so dynamic and the undefined background colors pull the viewer’s eye to the importance of the image – the character’s faces. My initial observation was of the composure of the mistress in comparison to that of the indicated slave women. Her hand is by her side, but it is not relaxed as if there is some slight tension in this meeting. Her gaze is direct and the painting does not specify whether she is looking at the first woman (the woman closest to her), the second woman (the woman holding the child) or the young girl (in the painting the child’s dress is clear). Either way it is clear she is not looking and the third seated woman. What intrigued me the most was not the posture of these women, but rather their facial expressions.

The first woman looks the mistress directly in her eye and has a sense of respect, empathy and resolve. I take this woman to be the matriarch of the Negro family and her depicted emotions come from long years of working for the mistress. It seems this slave has come a long way with her and has a connection that only time can create. The second woman must have an understanding and a resolve, but she lacks a look of respect. She seems to comprehend the old mistress, but to respect and empathize with her is far fetched. The third woman appears to either not care for the mistress or is purposefully holding on to the enmity created by their previous interactions. I first interpret these women to be the depiction of the variety of feelings that slaves experience as they “stare back at” slavery. The older slaves have developed a respect for their masters and the situation (whether manifested from fear or developed from an established connection). The second woman reflects those who did not had the time to develop empathy or respect, but had enough of an interaction to develop an understanding and tolerance of the situation. The final woman seems to be those that have developed distaste for all those associated with their past captivity. She seems to not be angry which, coupled with the other women’s reactions and the presence of the old mistress in the Negro home, indicates that this mistress was not brutal and may have shown moments of kindness. The lack of embrace disputes the idea that she was unusually kind.

I feel that this understanding is key to the African American community as these are the women who will pass their experiences down to their children and will considerably influence the ideals of today’s women. Winlow Homer sheds light on the roots of our Dynamic Virtue. Willie Lynch understood that the woman is integral to the initial development of the young girl and the young boy. To influence the foundational periods of a man and a woman is to establish an insurance policy that could last for hundreds of years and is the same policy we are bound to today. It is this perception that leads me to the thought which has lingered in my mind since that Wednesday morning and what calls this piece to mind in recollection of our museum visit. It is this perception that leads me to wonder how this interaction is influencing the little girl in the painting and how she will utilize the opportunity to influence history

Our party continued to decrease as another member headed back home. Our numbers may have dwindled, but the end was not upon us. After a day of rest and rejuvenation there was one last event that proved intriguing. This experience involved the re-evaluation and deeper understanding of an icon whose story would stand to contend with that of President Obama for the title of “Most Inspirational Narrative”.