What is Your Tar Baby? #1 (detail) by Charly Palmer

What is Your Tar Baby?
November 7, 2010 – February 13, 2011

artwork | artist talk | about Charly Palmer | exhibition catalogue

What do President Barack Obama, Marilyn Monroe, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Paul Reubens (Pee-wee Herman) have in common? According to artist Charly Palmer, each has a “Tar Baby”. In this exhibition, Palmer boldly asks “What is your Tar Baby?” as he appropriates African folklore to address issues of bigotry, racism and stereotypes. He examines the lives of athletes, civil rights leaders, entertainers, politicians, scholars, African and Native Americans.

Artwork

What is your Tar Baby? #1
11" x 14"
Acrylic collage on Canvas

The Meeting
12” x 24”
Acrylic/ Mixed Media on Canvas

No Hero to Me
30” x 40”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

Mr. President
24” x 48”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

Professor Gates
(Henry Louis Gates, Jr.)
24” x 48”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

What is your Tar Baby? #3
11" x 14"
Acrylic/Collage on Canvas

Brer Martin
(Martin Luther King, Jr.)
11” x 16”
Acrylic on Paper

Malcolm X
11” x 16”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Paper

Revolutionary
(Angela Davis)
24” X 36”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

Adolf
11” x 16”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Paper

What is your Tar Baby? #4
11" x 14"
Acrylic/Collage on Canvas

That is Why Africa
(Dave Chappelle)
11” x 16”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Paper

Fried Chicken
(Richard Pryor)
11” x 16”
Acrylic on Paper

Fela
(Fela Kuti)
11” x 16”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Paper

Paul Robeson
30” x 40”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

Baldwin
(James Baldwin)
11” x 16”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Paper

Tar Baby
(Cornel West)
11” x 16”
Acrylic on paper

First Stone
(Paul Reubens)
24” x 48”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

Black Smoke: Jack Johnson
11” x 16”
Acrylic on Paper

Joe Louis
24” x 48”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

The Hare and the Turtle
(Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston)
11” x 16”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Paper

Freedom Cost
30” x 40”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

Rose and Thorns
16” x 11”
Acrylic on Paper

Mother Jackson
(Mahalia Jackson)
11” x 16”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Paper

Ms. Dandridge
(Dorothy Dandridge)
11” x 16”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Paper

Miss Baker
(Josephine Baker)
24” x 48”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

Josephine Baker
11” x 16”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Paper

Marilyn Monroe
24” x 48”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

Nina
(Nina Simone)
11” x 16”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Paper

Tar Baby
30” x 40”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

Emmett Till
24” x 48”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

Black Love
24” x 48”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

My Tar Baby
24” X 36”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

Church Lies
24” x 48”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

What is your Tar Baby? #2
11" x 14"
Acrylic collage on Canvas

Teenage Mother
24” x 36”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Paper

Big Rabbit
11” x 16”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Paper

We Love Watermelon
24” x 48”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

Native American Sister
11” x 16”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Paper

Native American Brother
11” x 16”
Acrylic/Mixed Media on Paper