Metalwork 1793-1880, By Fred Wilson

Art can be and is a fundamental part of society and history. Many different perspectives are formed one any one piece of art because everyone see’s art in a different light. It is the artists’ job to come up with an idea that they want to convey to the masses and find a medium for which they can do so. However, in the end we all can come away with a different opinion of what we just saw. In today’s society, we are often opposed to reliving the harsh realities of our past, rape, enslavement, and war for a few examples. What makes the man who I chose to do this paper about different is that he strives to highlight these times in history that we are told to forget and make sensitive topics. This man is the “Genius”, Mr. Fred Wilson. His art goes
In “Metalwork 1793-1880” the subject that Fred Wilson chose to portray were ornate silver pitchers, flacons, and teacups with a pair of iron slave shackles. These items were all installed so that they would juxtapose one another. By juxtaposing theses items, Fred Wilson was able to highlight the history of African-Americans. How was he able to accomplish this? It is the tradition that displays of arts and crafts are to be kept separate from traumatizing pieces such as the slave shackles. This is done because the slave shackles would act as a distraction from the beauty of the elegant arts and crafts. However, by putting these two pieces of metal next to one another Fred Wilson was able to link them together in history and convey a deeper meaning. The atmosphere that he created was not balanced and a little uneasy at first glance, but that was not his intent. When one thinks of the history of the enslavement of African-Americans, it is only then that a connection that these two elements would not exist without the other. The enslavement of African-Americans allowed for those beautiful metal sets to be made and bought. This is the message that Fred Wilson was trying to convey to the viewer and he succeeded. This is why he is critically acclaimed in his field and knows how to get the viewer to see and understand the deeper meaning in his