About this artwork
What intially appears to be a drawing or a print deriving from an incised plate or a marked surface is in actuality a direct impression of the artist’s own body with thumbprints. Addressing race and identity in this image, Hammons depicts an individual clearly not of European descent. The distorted facial features and the distinctive textures of the hair and dress imbue the portrait with an exaggerated “primitiveness,” which engage widely held stereotypes. The juxataposition of the title with the image creates a tension, speaking to the then expanding definition of what being an American meant and who it included.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Prints and Drawings
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Artist
- David Hammons
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Title
- American Costume
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Place
- United States (Artist's nationality:)
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Date
- Made 1970
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Medium
- Ink, powdered pigment and fixative on brown wove paper mounted to board
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Dimensions
- 63.2 × 50.2 cm (24 15/16 × 19 13/16 in.)
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Credit Line
- Gift of Lannan Foundation
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Reference Number
- 1997.111
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.
