all de watermillion fr’um heabun
Christine Miller
May 18—July 27, 2024
Opening Reception: Saturday, May 18th, 5-8pm
Gallery Hours: Saturdays, 12-4pm
or by appointment, contact hello@satorprojects.com
1607 SE 3rd, 97214
“all de watermillion fr’um heabun” is a solo exhibition by artist Christine Miller, featuring a collection of watercolor paintings, sculptural pieces, and multimedia works. This body of work serves as a poignant social allegory, utilizing the watermelon—a historically charged symbol— to critique the commodification of Black culture within American capitalist systems.
Inspired by the shocking revelation of artifacts, like a purse made from a Black person's skin and the gruesome practice of selling body parts of lynched Black individuals as souvenirs, Christine Miller explores the theory of the 'process of production' underlying the creation of America's subordinate racial caste system. Miller's investigation scrutinizes the systematic steps that culminate in the dehumanization and commodification of Black bodies within American society, shedding light on the mechanisms that have contributed to the establishment and perpetuation of racial hierarchies. The exhibition draws from Miller's exploration of the systematic racial hierarchy establishment in America, resonating with narratives from influential texts like Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody, Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur, Rock My Soul: Black People and Self-Esteem by bell hooks. Through large-scale paintings, Miller explores the systems of Jim Crow, COINTELPRO, and imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy.
The watermelon motif, satirical and provocative, takes center stage in Miller’s works. The paintings, adorned with Pan African flag ribbons, exude a sense of softness, femininity, and care amidst societal critiques. With exhibition title 'all de watermillion fr’um heabun' and her recent use of 'watermillions' instead of watermelons in her practice, Miller challenges the weaponization of documentation and language in reinforcing dominant caste systems through exaggerated dialect and mockery.
The exhibition and title invites reflection on the American notion of whiteness as a divine right within caste systems, questioning the very concept of divinity associated with racial hierarchy. Each piece, like the seedless watermelons depicted, confronts the stark reality of historical harm endured by African Americans in American society.
“all de watermillion fr’um heabun” is an examination of history, identity, and power dynamics through the lens of artistic expression. By reclaiming and recontextualizing the watermelon, Miller invites viewers to confront and dismantle deeply ingrained stereotypes and systemic inequalities within contemporary society.
This exhibition is generously funded by The Ford Family Foundation, Regional Arts and Culture Council and Killian Pacific
Items for purchase
To purchase email hello@satorprojects.com with items you would like to buy and a note if you would like to pick up at the gallery, or have shipped for a small additional fee. You will then receive an emailed invoice with a link to pay online.
WATERMILLION MATRIX: Flesh Skin Seeds Catalogue - $55
Watermillions Tote
Large - $70
Watermillions Tote
Small - $33
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Christine Miller (b. 1990, New York, NY, she/her) is a conceptual artist currently based in Portland, OR. With a background in Product Development and an extensive understanding of manufacturing processes, Miller's work focuses on the design intentionality of physical products, literature, and advertisements that have been used to dehumanize African Americans. Her art centers around racial stereotypes and histories, while simultaneously reframing cultural narratives. Pointedly exploring how anti-Black propaganda and stereotypes permeate American life, Miller sources and recontextualizes figurines, advertisements, written material, and other ephemera that overtly and covertly create and maintain anti-Blackness. Despite the deeply violent and sinister nature of these objects and visuals, Miller often draws from those with an "everyday" quality - once readily available tchotchkes, drugstore products, and popular magazines - that add to the material's impact. Through her work, Miller confronts and challenges white supremacist definitions and illustrations of Blackness, as well as her own identity formation.
