The Bite Magazine - Autmn/Winter 2020 - Issue 28

biteartistprofile archive in her research on anony- mous African-American portraiture. In 2014, she began a series entitled The African Choir, inspired by the portraits of a South-African choir taken in the UK in 1891. It was while conducting this research that she discovered the picture of Nina Sniper by Holsinger. Charlottesville, as well as other states in the South, is a city marked by a past full of social conflict and racial violence. However, during this time Holsinger photographed more than 500 African Americans in his studio. The collection is housed at the Uni- versity of Virginia.The archives of this era, notably in the southern United States, very rarely represent African American subjects. Often, it was the black nanny, in the background, who helped to photograph the white infant of whom she was in charge. Nathalie’s exhibition Way Down South currently showing at Yossi Milo Gallery in New York until January 2021 is based on the portraits of African-Americans taken in the late 19th century by Rufus W. Holsinger. In a review for Artsy , critic Wilson Tarbox described the artist’s collages as taking “on a slight three-dimension- ality, like fur or plumage.What results, are neither photographs, sculptures, nor any other easily definable media. Rather, they are something new and emotionally charged.” The men, women, and children por- trayed are “anonymous persons who carry within them a piece of the col- lective history. These portraits pay homage to the resilience of the Afri- can-American community and their unity in the struggle against racial oppression. The collection of photo- graphs holds a sentimental value for the families it depicts. It is equally important for its historical value, as a record of this region. Natalie Boutté makes us look with new eyes on the foundation of identity.” At the forefront of the exhibition is Nina Sniper, whose mesmerising eyes captured Nathalie’s attention. Nina is sat posed in a frilly white blouse and a black or grey skirt with one hand resting easily on her lap and the other hanging by her side. Holsinger’s pho- tograph of Emmet T.Whitney appears as a duplication as if he was portraying twins wearing uniforms, with the right contrast sharper then the left. Nath- alie captures the intensity of Emmet’s face in her collage. The intricate contrast of banknotes is shown in the artist’s presentation of Burnett Watson, whom Holsinger captured in his uniform against a grey backdrop.The sweet face of the child, Edwin Jefferson, melts your heart as he poses in a chair. Nathalie captured his head and shoulders in her work. Looking elegant and dapper in a suit and bow-tie, John Crosby poses for the camera in a chair with his hat on his lap. Nathalie re-creates the whole picture. Another beauty is Fannie Dowell whom the initial photographer pic- tured seated in a chair wearing a hat and a coat over a white top and dark skirt with lace-up boots. In Nathalie’s collage, Fannie’s face is the main focus. With one hand on his hip and the other by his side, Golden Coles looks relaxed wearing a white or straw hat, a dark suit with white trousers and dark shoes. He appears to be standing under an arch by a flower bush in the original photograph.The distinguished gentleman is captured in this pose. Three other gentlemen, Orbey Stark, Marshall Mayo, and Leslie Baykin are presented in singular three-quarter length portraits with the subjects iso- lated in the foreground, making them appear to come forward and meet the viewer. The serene green background catapults them into the limelight bring- ing the eyes to focus on the intricate details.As you move further away from the picture, you will see the variations in the ink colour of the printed text that remains identical on every strip. The artist’s work is captivating as it interacts old photographs in a differ- ent medium. It brings the intensity of the subject’s features to the forefront and presents an unmatched beauty. Thanks to Rufus W. Holsinger’s ini- tiative to capture African-Americans during the late 19th century and Nath- alie Butté’s reinterpretation of these images, it is a piece of history that many of us can hold on to and cherish the memories. Natalie Boutté’s Way Down South exhi- bition is available to view online at Yossi Milo Gallery until January 2021. https://yossimilo.com Nathalie Boutte Nina Sniper, 2019 Nathalie Boutte M. Mme Cooper, 2019 Nathalie Boutte Ellie Thomson, 2019