Men of Color to Arms, Tanya Murphy Dodd
About the Work
From the Artist
My prints Men of Color to Arms and Men of Color to Passage tell a story of men of color joining their brothers in an American struggle for liberty by fighting in the Union services. One print honors the life of those who passed on to death and the second print shows the faces of men who bravely stood together proudly. A white picket fence is a common symbol used in both pieces that signifies several notions: the American Dream and the edge of civility among men, boundaries, and more. Camp William Penn, located just outside of Philadelphia in Cheltenham—Philadelphia itself was not a safe place for these soldiers to train—was the inspiration behind the pieces. This camp trained tens of thousands of black men to be soldiers. The houses in Men of Color to Arms are actual images from the original campground, which was surrounded by a white picket fence.
—Brandywine Workshop and Archives records
About the Artist
Multi-media fine artist Tanya Murphy is a Philadelphia native born of Southern American roots. African American history, southern culture, and feminism are themes frequently expressed in her artworks.
Murphy-Dodd's art...
