From the Smithsonian American Art Museum (
@americanart ):
Freedom” is from a series of word drawings that artist Judith Bernstein created in the 1990s focusing on both the highest aspirations (“Justice,” “Equality”) and harsh realities (“Fear,” “Evil”) of American life. In densely applied charcoal, the “F” of “Freedom” dominates the left side, like a flag flying proudly from a pole. The rest of the word appears in looping cursive, punctuated at upper right by a handprint. With her forceful, kinetic mark-making, Bernstein seems to affirm both the political freedoms Americans hold dear and the personal freedoms she has asserted throughout her life—to be an artist, to have a political voice, and to make the work she wants to make.
“Freedom” is currently on view #atSAAM
Image:
1 - Judith Bernstein, “Freedom,” 1995, charcoal on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 2022.30A,B, Courtesy the artist and Kasmin, New York
2 - Installation view of Judith Bernstein, “Freedom,” 1995; Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2025
