In its fusion of performance with personality, Royals' film conjures up an exciting vision of a new power being forged in the self-discovery of these extraordinary artists. The title refers to the African concept of wise transformative women, and in their different ways each of these artists embodies that power. Skillfully edited and constructed, Royals' film tantalizes the viewer with artistic glimpses of Gonzalez's cathartic dance on the theme of slavery and redemption, Weems striking images, Wilson's spectacular voice. The most intriguing performance, however, is McCauley's, a breathtakingly open, risk taking improvised-feeling dialogue with colleague Jeannie Hutchins on the most intimate racial and personal themes. Woven into the performance footage are interviews with the principals, which are interesting and times inspiring.
Some art is small and self-involved.
Good art is so large in spirit, it can not be contained. The art and artists featured in Conjure Women are of the large variety. In this film, which is its own work of art, we meet several African-American female artists, each mining their personal and collective black histories for transcendence and healing. In fact, while Conjure Women may appear to be about the long-simmering urgency and strength of the black female artist, it ends up reminding the viewer of the simple, cathartic power of seeing the self, seeing experience reinterpreted, which, of course, is art. Filmmaker Demetria Royals' artful approach reminds us of our own changing vision and the danger of straightjacket thinking.