Willie Birch has spent his career highlighting the splendor and uniqueness of the people of New Orleans. Since 1997, Birch has been documenting the African-American culture of his native New Orleans with large-scale drawing that emphasize body language, dress codes, and everyday rituals. His guileless polychrome ethnic sculptures evoke both social history and emotion, and his use of talismans provide the viewer a window into another time, whether through antique construction nails symbolizing power and strength or a small West African paper mache stool that stands apart as a symbol of nobility.
This beautifully illustrated monograph is the first publication of examine the career of an influential artist whose re-imagining of African and Southern folk art inspires thought-provoking discussions, as do his contemporary sculptures and designs. It includes two essays and an interview with the artist, as well as color reproductions of key works dating from 1968-2004, and is published in conjunction with the traveling exhibition organized by the Contemporary Art Center, New Orleans.
