99% NO.90 Military Man 2013

Editor: Here we have Sedrick Huckaby’s print, "99% NO.90 Military Man." The stark contrast of black and white creates a really intense feeling, almost like a charcoal sketch. What statements might Huckaby be making with this depiction? Curator: Consider the title itself. "99%" suggests an incompleteness, a fragmented identity perhaps forced upon the subject by societal expectations of masculinity and military service. How does the artist's rendering either reinforce or subvert those expectations? Editor: So, it's not just a portrait, but a commentary on identity? Curator: Precisely. The rapid, almost frenzied strokes, deny a stoic representation, hinting at the psychological weight of war and the pressures of conforming. It's an interrogation of the Black male body within institutionalized systems. What kind of conversations do you think this artwork encourages? Editor: It makes me think about the cost of conflict, and how these pressures affect different communities uniquely. Curator: Exactly. It reframes traditional portraiture as a site for critical dialogue.