The chair sculpture is a combination of the old and new. Congresswoman Pressley has a very strong grounding in African-American ideas of narrative, justice, and social empowerment. Marlon named his chair the "Black Butterfly"; he emphasizes the name with a butterfly wing shaped back. He combined the old with new by using wood and steel. The armrests on the chair are a combination of black leather and metal. Black metal beads drip from the butterfly wings, reminiscent of the brilliant braided hair for which the Congresswoman was known when running for election.
No copyright restrictions.
Contact host institution for more information.
Preferred Citation:
Artist: Marlon Forrester. Permission from the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.
Notes:
This work was part of "A Seat at the Table," which opened on June 12, 2019 at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.
First African American women Representative from Massachusetts to the U.S. House of Representatives