In 1969 Betye Saar created Black Girl’s Window, assembling found images and fragments of her own prints into a discarded frame. At center, an arresting painted image of a girl confronts the viewer through parted curtains, her hands pressed against a pane of glass. For Black Girl’s Window, which bridges Saar’s best-known sculptural works and her less-often-seen works on paper, the artist draws on supernatural systems, political imagery, and her personal history to create an object of astonishing resonance. An essay by Esther Adler and Christophe Cherix explores Saar’s early career, gives insight into her sources, and brings the artist’s voice into illuminating this exceptional work. 48 pp.; 35 illus.

 

Each volume in the One on One series is a sustained meditation of a single work from the collection of The Museum of Modern Art. A richly illustrated and lively essay illuminates the subject in detail and situates that work within the artist’s life and career as well as within broader historical contexts. This series is an invaluable guide for exploring and interpreting some of the most beloved artworks in the Museum’s collection. View the entire series here.