James Gardner,Ruins of Norfolk Navy Yard, 1864, albumen print.
Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, this selection of photographs, paintings, sculpture and prints both records and reflects upon different aspects of the War and its meaning for 19th-century—and contemporary—Americans.
The works range from period battlefield photographs to contemporary photos of War re-enactors, from paintings of the famed ironclads in the Battle of Hampton Roads to a group of challenging prints by Kara Walker.
The work of Walker is of particular note, as this is the first time the Chrysler has exhibited the work of this MacArthur Fellowship winner.
Known for highly charged pieces that explore identity and gender issues, her work here involves the use of black silhouette overlays to add a new perspective to Civil War-era illustrations.
Exodus of Confederates from Atlanta Kara Walker Exodus of Confederates from Atlanta. Harper's Pictorial History of the Civil War (Annotated), 2005 Offset Lithography and Silkscreen, 39 x 53 inches (99.1 x 134.6 cm), framed 43 x 57 inches Courtesy of the artist and Sikkema Jenkins & Co.