Cooney Tunes

… is my response to the objectification and dehumanization of African women and their descendants. The 3:00 character was inspired by Sarah Baartman, aka the Negro Venus, the rubber-hose animation style and early 20th century caricatures. Additionally, she was inspired by Japanese animation, as she is dressed in Sailor Venus' uniform from Sailor Moon. The 11:00 figure is a sculpture currently at the SFMOMA in their permanent collection called La Negresse Blonde, one of four, made by Constantin Brancusi in 1926. The 12 and 6:00 figures express the "more realistic" contrast to the "beauty" and "lighthearted," "humorous" tone that pop culture has hidden in front of its obsession with superficial aesthetics.

Influenced by the work of Betye Saar.

Featured on its own wall in 2017 College of Marin Student Showcase

If you would like to learn more about the inspiration behind this painting, you’re welcome to read the essay I wrote that prompted it by clicking the link below. It has been slightly updated in 2024. I may add something else to it later.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DWkOxUwhL4I3vaT3zPClo2RjhXz_c_9W/view?usp=sharing