
Freedom, a fable: a curious interpretation of the wit of a Negress in troubled times, with illustrations
<p>Set in the pre-Civil War (antebellum) era in the United States, <em>Freedom, a fable</em> is a pop-up book that tells the story of a recently emancipated woman who, despite her freedom, continues to face oppression and discrimination. Written and designed by the artist Kara Walker with help from paper engineer David Eisen, the book features pop-ups of laser-cut paper silhouettes—a technique which Walker uses throughout her work to depict and challenge narratives about the antebellum American South. Published in 1997, the story points to injustices that have persisted into the twentieth century, particularly those inflicted upon Black women.</p>
Catalogue
- Year
- 1997
- Dimensions
- 24 × 21.2 × 1.9 cm (9 1/2 × 8 3/8 × 3/4 in.)
- Collection
- Art Institute of Chicago
More
More by this artist
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No Land in Sight
2024 · Watercolor and pencil on paper
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2018 · Lithograph
Christ's Entry into Journalism
2017 · Ink and pencil on paper, cut-and-pasted on painted paper
40 Acres of Mules
2015 · Charcoal on three sheets of paper
African Boy Attendant Curio with Molasses and Brown Sugar, from "The Marvelous Sugar Baby" Installation at the old Domino Sugar Factory Warehouse (Front Basket)
2014 · Cast pigmented polyester resin with polyurethane coating (optionally with molasses and brown sugar)
Record
Verified by WattsOS- Year
- 1997
- Dimensions
- 24 × 21.2 × 1.9 cm (9 1/2 × 8 3/8 × 3/4 in.)
- Watts ID
- WW-1997-126147
Source
- Collection
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Source
- aic
- Reference
- View at source
- Status
- verified





