An art exhibit features the names and faces of people who were enslaved

A reader of my work newspaper reached out to me, asking if I would cover a new exhibit in Monterey featuring a local artist who was focusing on the forgotten names of former slaves.

Germain Hatcher has been an artist for over 20 years, her work features an array of graphite, watercolor, and wax patining pieces. Her new exhibit “Beyond Bullwhip Days” was an ode to the book “Bullwhip Days” by the Federal Writer’s Project where people who used to be slaves shared stories about their lives on plantations.

I read a couple of excerpts from the book, and it’s an enlightening experience, even for someone who considers herself well-read in Black American history.

Hatcher’s exhibit focused on the facial expressions and beauty of the people. She didn’t shy away from the tough subjects either, one of my favorite pieces was “La Negresse d’ Adana,” where a Black woman is seen breastfeeding a white child. My other favorite was “Mammy Prater,” showing an older Black woman doing hemwork with an image of a cotton plant behind her.

Many of the faces featured look older and exhausted, almost certainly from the decades of abuse they suffered working as slaves. I liked that Hatcher was able to convey those expressions through simple pencil and paper, though some of the pieces featured bold colors and symbols to highlight the history.

The centerpiece titled “Survivors” has the faces of two men and a woman, behind them is one of the slave ships, and behind that are the silhouettes of bodies, the same way slaves were lined up during the Slave Trade.

The goal of her project was to get people engaged, and thinking.

“I want people to remember these faces, and start a conversation,” Hatcher said.

Most of the visitors seemed to know Hatcher personally and took the time to share their love and appreciation for her work. I didn’t have much time to speak to her, but I will in the future. Hatcher is also the founder of the only locally owned art supplies store in the county called Imagine Art Supplies. She also mentors young artists through a nonprofit organization and volunteers in several community events to promote the program.

Overall, I really enjoyed this exhibit. It was interesting to see how much Black American history is celebrated and honored in this area.