How can art be used to deepen our understanding of the complex topics addressed in Toni Morrison’s novel, Beloved?

         During the first week of Senior Project, I have been reading, rethinking and reanalyzing Beloved to inform the work I create for the rest of Senior Project. Simultaneously, I have been generating ideas for art pieces in relation to the text that are meant to go further than an essay would in communicating the themes of Beloved. Reading the text with the intention of using it at the foundation of my art pieces makes me think and analyze the novel in a completely different way in comparison to the work I did in the Toni Morrison Author Study class and also employs me to be intentional with my artistic choices more than I have ever been in a Studio Art class. This experience has left me with two questions: how can art be used as an analytical tool, and how does engaging with the text artistically change and/or enhance one’s interpretation?

         In an attempt to answer these questions, I looked back on some of the writing I did in my author studies class and noticed a strong focus on the little aspects Morrison uses to inform the reader. Toni Morrison does a thorough job of constructing the world in which Beloved takes place with her ability to leave the reader with a mental image while maintaining a consistent mood. Another thing that Morrison does very well is writing every word with a purpose nothing in her novel is there to take up space. I should exercise this same intentionality in my work. In order to create a meaningful artistic rendition, I have to go beyond the mental image she creates to avoid simply illustrating the novel’s scenes. So far, going beyond has meant looking at the foreshadowing Morrison does throughout the story and including it in my work. As well as thinking about ways to visually articulate “rememory” and collective memory and other themes/ideas that are difficult to comprehend let alone paint or draw. Moving forward, as I begin to produce more artwork, I will be thinking about color theory, what I place in the foreground/background, perspective and any other artistic choices I can utilize to evoke the nuances of Toni Morrison’s writing.