Chair with Painted Cushion
Object Details
- Artist
- Ira Blount
- Caption
- Artist Ira Blount personalized this chair by painting a cushion to decorate the seat. Yellow painted Adinkra symbols from West African tradition adorn the black fabric, representing aphorisms of adaptation, good fortune, and life’s journey, among others. It is possible the symbols are a nod to Blount’s African American heritage. Just as the upholstery has an aesthetic and utilitarian function, for Blount crafting was both decorative and practical because the process cultivated peace of mind.
- After moving to Washington, DC following World War II, Ira Blount mastered dozens of artisanal crafts. His love for crafting, learning, and community engagement would endure over the course of his long life and career.
- Cite As
- Gift of Ira Blount
- 20th Century
- Accession Number
- 2011.0004.0078
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Type
- chair
- Medium
- wood, cloth, paint, glue, and tape
- Dimensions
- 34 1/2 × 18 × 14 in. (87.6 × 45.7 × 35.6 cm)
- See more items in
- Anacostia Community Museum Collection
- Anacostia Community Museum
- Record ID
- acm_2011.0004.0078
- Metadata Usage (text)
- Usage conditions apply
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dl8834fd854-d2de-4a0f-86b7-6fc962cfe1bc
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