Black Snake Blues - Alison Saar (NEW)
Black Snake Blues , Alison Saar

Black Snake Blues

Artist

Alison Saar

Nationality

American

Heritage

African American

Medium

Offset Lithograph

Date

1994

Dimensions

22 x 30 inches

Edition Size

70 prints in this edition

Printer

Jim "BJ" Hughes

Provenance

Brandywine Workshop and Archives

Location

Philadelphia, PA

About the Work

From the Artist
This piece was inspired by the old blues standard "Black Snake in my Bed." It depicts a woman in bed, longing for her lover
—From Brandywine Workshop and Archives records
The title of this piece is taken from the song “Black Snake Blues,” first recorded by Victoria Spivey in 1926 and better known by Blind Lemon Jefferson’s 1927 version, “Black Snake Moan.”
—Excerpted from https://risdmuseum.org/art-design/collection/black-snake-blues-20146644

Here the woman is in a bedroom scene, yearning for her lover. It is unclear if the snake has replaced the woman’s lover or removed him. The position that she is laying suggests she is reminiscing on past relationships that contained intimacy and comfort. Regardless of the two subjects' relationships, the print carries a strong feeling of sexuality and desire.
—From Brandywine Workshop and Archives records

About the Artist

Alison Saar

Alison Saar is a printmaker, sculptor, and mixed-media artist born in Los Angeles, CA. She earned a dual degree in art history and studio art from Scripps College, Claremont, CA, and an MFA from Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles.
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