Untitled (Body Print) 1974

Editor: This is an untitled body print by David Hammons. It’s a life-sized figure made with… is that the artist's own body? It feels fragile but also powerful. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Hammons' body prints directly engage with the politics of representation. Think about the art world at the time, and the conspicuous absence of Black bodies. By using his own body as a printing tool, he reclaims agency. Editor: So, it’s a direct response to that absence? Curator: Exactly. Consider the ghostly quality and the lack of clear detail. How does that impact your understanding? Editor: It almost feels like a memory, or a statement about visibility and invisibility. This is thought-provoking. Curator: Precisely, art can challenge power structures.