A Friday Morning Spent with the Arts

Affirmative Action

Jerry Kearns, American

1987

While I saw many beautifully crafted pieces of work in the Palmer, the piece that stood out most was a painting titled Affirmative Action created by Jerry Kearns. The red and yellow buildings faded in the background contrasted the main image of the woman in black and white, scooping piles of debris with a shovel. The woman is wearing a dress and heels, but is in no way a “girlie girl” because she has muscles and a look on her face that says, “Don’t mess with me.”

This painting, which was created by using acrylic paint on a canvas, was completed in 1987. This was only a mere twenty years after President John F. Kennedy signed the first Executive Order to promote actions that achieve non-discrimination in the workplace, also known as affirmative action. The piece clearly depicts a woman in the workforce and goes to show that women are just as capable as men to do any kind of work. I was also very pleased to see that the artist was a man who clearly supports women’s struggle for equality and acceptance in the workforce especially.

I think the most obvious reason I connected to this piece in particular is that I am a woman just like the one in the painting. I can relate to her because I, too, will one day be a working member of society and hoped to be treated equally with men and other women. I am a supporter of affirmative action because I believe everyone should have equal opportunity to show his or her capabilities. If a man can do a job, why shouldn’t a woman at least be given a chance to prove herself too?

The first way this painting gains credibility is through the title, Affirmative Action. Many people know the definition of this word, which automatically helps audiences understand the piece. Jerry Kearns, the artist, was a professor of art at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, which adds to his credibility because he is an expert on art and has contributed to the world of art in ways other than just creating paintings.

I think the piece of art is making a very obvious claim supporting affirmative action and the equality of women and men in the workplace. I think the artist was attempting to portray the physical and mental strength of the woman through her body language and facial expression in order to persuade audiences that women deserve the equality and respect the same way men do in the workplace.

Last Friday was my first time visiting the Palmer Museum and I had a very good first time experience. I have never been a museum fanatic, yet I am not completely opposed to museums either. I think my stance on museums is neutral until proven otherwise. This visit was different from most of my other museum visits because I am used to going on field trips or with family, thus experiencing the museum through a guided tour. This trip however was a self-guided tour and I enjoyed exploring the paintings and sculptures at my own pace. I don’t see myself going back to the museum voluntarily, but if I was assigned to go back for another class I wouldn’t dread the experience.