<I>An Offering #5</I>
date: label: Date
content: 2017
name: label: Created by
content: Stephen Towns, American, born 1980
notes: label: Caption
content: “All of my work is rooted in my growing up in the Deep South. My work is in direct response to issues permeating African American culture, issues such as loss of ancestral roots, slavery, class, education, skin tone and religion. I create beauty despite misfortunes in life.” — Stephen Towns
label: Caption
content: The subject of An Offering was inspired by Marcus Rediker’s 2007 book, The Slave Ship: A Human History. The series of eight panels pay homage to West African people who were uprooted from their families and forced to endure the brutality of the Middle Passage and enslavement. The shape of each panel recalls the iconic 18th century British slave ship, the Brookes. The candles represent an offering to these ancestors in a gesture of gratitude and solace.
label: Description
content: This mixed media compilation is comprised of a painted work (a) above and a quilted work (b) suspended below. The quilted work is attached to the painted panel via a strip of Velcro along the panel's bottom margin. The painted panel depicts a human figure on a gold background. The figure, shown from the hips up, wears a sleeved white garment that is wrapped closed across her breast. The figure has a red cloth wrapped around her body just under the bust. There is a round black circle directly behind her head. Two blue butterflies flutter near the figure, one by the figure's right shoulder, the other by the top of the individual’s head.
label: Description
content: The quilted work depicts the shadow cast by the human figure. The shadow is a rough silhouette that is positioned directly opposite and upside-down from the human figure in the painting. The shadow is represented by a sheer, shiny fabric, overlaying a darker fabric. The fabric is studded with tiny sparkles throughout. There are waves across the shadow figure caused by quilting seams. The shadow has a white translucent halo around its head. It is reflected across a multipatterned surface done in different strips of fabric in shades of grey, blue, and purple. On either side of the shadow, and below its head are black silhouettes of hands holding lit lamps in their cupped palms. Each bowl-shaped lamp has a single flame represented by both fabric and a yellow bead. The bottom of the quilted work terminates in a rounded point. The back of the quilted work has a variety of visible seams as a result of the quilting. There is a strip of Velcro along the top margin. There is a small rectangle of white cloth at the top left corner with the text embroidered in black thread that reads "Offering 5."
place: label: Place made
content: Baltimore, Maryland, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: African diaspora
label: Topic
content: Art
label: Topic
content: Identity
label: Topic
content: Middle Passage
label: Topic
content: Slavery
label: Topic
content: Spirituality
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Portfolio/Series
content: An Offering
label: Classification
content: Visual Arts
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2019.25.5ab
objectType: label: Type
content: panel paintings
label: Type
content: fiber art
label: Type
content: portraits
label: Type
content: mixed media
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: © Stephen Towns
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: acrylic and oil paint, graphite, bristol board, metal leaf, natural and synthetic cloth fabric, nylon tulle, polyester and cotton thread, and crystal glass beads on wood panel
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (overall): 40 × 16 × 1 7/8 in. (101.6 × 40.6 × 4.8 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (a: panel): 23 7/8 × 15 15/16 × 1 9/16 in. (60.7 × 40.5 × 4 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (b: banner): 19 13/16 × 15 3/4 in. (50.4 × 40 cm)