Bettye Saar
| Betye Saar | |
|---|---|
| Born |
July 30, 1926 Los Angeles, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles, Pasadena City College, California State University, Long Beach |
| Known for | Assemblage |
| Website | http://www.betyesaar.net/ |
Betye Irene Saar (born July 30, 1926 in Los Angeles, California) is an American artist, known for her work in the field of assemblage but is also an accomplished print maker. Saar was a part of the Black Arts Movement in the 1970s, challenging myths and stereotypes not only related to race but also to women. Her work was considered highly political. She has continued to challenge the negative ideas about African-Americans throughout her career. One of her better-known and controversial pieces is The Liberation of Aunt Jemima, depicting a "mammy" doll carrying a broom in one hand and a shotgun in the other, and placed in front of the syrup labels. Her work began with found objects arranged in boxes or windows.
Born Betye Irene Brown to Jefferson Maze Brown and Beatrice Lillian Parson, Saar spent her early years in Los Angeles, spending summers with her paternal grandmother in Watts, California. During these summer visits, she saw the slow creation of the Watts Towers by artist Simon Rodia, huge sculptures made of glass, bottle tops, and junk; an influential experience for her artistic practice later on. After her father's death in 1931, Saar, along with her mother and younger brother and sister, moved in with her maternal great-aunt Hattie Parson Keys and her husband Robert Keys in Pasadena, California. Saar's college education began with art classes at Pasadena City College and then moved to the University of California, Los Angeles in 1947, where she received a B.A. in design in 1949. Saar went on to graduate studies, from 1959-1962, completing work at California State University, Long Beach, 1958-1962; University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1962; California State University, Northridge, 1966; and American Film Institute, 1972.
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