Nari Ward, We the People (black version), 2015, shoelaces, 8 × 27 feet (Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art), a Seeing America video
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Ward, We The People
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Question 1
Which element in Nari Ward’s We the People (black version) symbolizes the diversity of the people living in the United States?
A
The black curved wall
B
The shoelaces used in the letters
C
The large scale of the work
D
The historical script of the words
Question 2
Nari Ward takes the words “We the People” in this sculpture from which historical document?
A
The Declaration of Independence
B
The Bill of Rights
C
The U.S. Constitution
D
The Articles of Confederation
Question 3
Which statement seems to best summarize the artist’s goals for this work of art?
A
He critiques these words as having little relevance for contemporary American society
B
He questions the validity of these words given the historical biases of the authors
C
He calls attention to the limitations of these words and the need to update the Constitution
D
He encourages us to reflect on the significance of the words “We the People”
Question 4
Which did NOT influence Ward in his creation of this work of art?
A
His visit to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
B
His artist residency in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
C
His background as an immigrant to the U.S.
D
His interest in creating art for today's audiences
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Key points
“We the People” is the introductory line to the Preamble of the Constitution that boldly declared the right of people of the United States to govern themselves. Still, when it was written in 1787, the “people” was narrowly defined and did not necessarily include women, African-Americans, Native Americans, or those who did not own land.
Nari Ward uses a common material, shoelaces, to evoke the many different people who are today brought together in the phrase “We the People.”
By using the draping shoelaces to define the old-fashioned calligraphic script, Ward obscures the words slightly. In this way, he encourages the viewer to pause and perhaps reconsider this familiar text.
Nari Ward’s We The People demonstrates how contemporary art often asks viewers to think more critically about everyday things that we may take for granted. Can you think of another important icon of American culture that has become commonplace and taken for granted, and that should be examined more carefully?
Explore the diverse history of the United States through its art.
Seeing America is funded by the Terra Foundation for American Art and the Alice L. Walton Foundation.
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