"For me, a Black woman artist, to walk into the studio is a political act." —Emma Amos
During a career span of more than five decades, Emma Amos has focused her creative practice on examining the Black body as a source and site of power and beauty. Drawing inspiration from the civil rights movement, modern Western European art, and feminism, Amos explores the politics of culture and issues of racism, sexism, and ethnocentrism through her art. Pool Lady is an exceptional example of Amos’s mature printmaking practice. In this figurative etching, likely a self-portrait, Amos presents the viewer with the image of a confidently posed Black woman seated poolside in a one-piece bathing suit and head scarf. The swimmer gazes directly at the viewer, no smile, just calm confidence.
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For those aware of the history of racial prejudice and segregation in the United States, which included laws prohibiting persons of color from using public and many private swimming pools, this portrait bears a poignant and powerful reminder of the long fight for civil rights in this country. Visually appealing in its tonal palette and streamlined design, Pool Lady eloquently raises important issues related to Black experience, racial pride, and personal identity.
