Lorna Simpson Collages

Contemporary artist Simpson is well regarded for her conceptual photography, which explores the image of African American women through the lenses of gender, culture, and history, often with a focus on hairstyles, as evidenced by the works presented here. A brief introduction by poet/scholar Elizabeth Alexander illuminates the experiences of black women expressed in Simpson's art. Also included is an artist statement, derived from phrases in the advertisements from which Simpson pulled the images in the collages. With the earliest works dating back to 2011, the most recent from 2017, this is strictly a catalog of Simpson's collages and does not feature a biography, exhibition history, or critical interpretation. Those seeking an analysis of the work should consider monographs by Kellie Jones and others or by Okwui Enwezor, Helaine Posner, and Hilton Als instead.