Miss Otis
Date2002
MediumColor offset lithograph with collaged fabric border
DimensionsImage: 26 1/8 × 20 3/4 inches (66.4 × 52.7 cm)
Sheet: 26 1/8 × 20 3/4 inches (66.4 × 52.7 cm)
Matted: 40 × 32 inches (101.6 × 81.3 cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase in honor of Courtney McNeil with Telfair Museum of Art acquisitions endowment funds.
Object number2021.7.1
Copyright© 2023 Emma Amos / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY.
The images and text contained on this page are owned by Telfair Museums or used by the Museum with permission from the owners. Unauthorized reproduction, transmission or display of these materials is prohibited with the exception of items deemed “fair use” as defined by U.S. and international copyright laws.Label TextThroughout her career, Atlanta native Emma Amos shattered traditional media boundaries, blending elements of painting, collage, and printmaking. In this lithograph, the artist used African textiles to fashion a border for the work and incorporated lines that deliberately evoke painted brushstrokes. This mixed media approach and her masterful use of colors and negative space foster a sense of movement, energy, and depth.
Miss Otis belongs to a series of works on paper concerning incarcerated women. Beyond highlighting the threats and hardships experienced by these individuals in the United States, Amos also references the song “Miss Otis Regrets,” composed by Cole Porter in 1934, about a white society woman who is lynched after murdering her unfaithful lover. Describing her relationship to color, the artist emphasized its role beyond its formal properties: “Every time I think about color, it’s a political statement. ( ... ) It would be a luxury to be white and never have to think about it.”
Text written for 'Contemporary Spotlight: New Acquisitions from the Brandywine Workshop' on view February 4 - May 1, 2022.
