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Collage of five diverse artworks from the Hammer Museum Collections side by side. From left to right: 1) Contemporary painting of two embracing figures with surreal elements. 2) Post-impressionist style painting of trees with vibrant blues and greens. 3) Black and white illustration of a face with intricate patterns. 4) Japanese woodblock print style image of a figure in a checkered robe. 5) Photograph of a couple dancing, the woman in a black dress and the man in white

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Digital Archive Now Dig This!: Art and Black Los Angeles 1960–1980
Art Betye Saar, Spirit Catcher
Spirit Catcher, by Betye Saar, 1977

Betye Saar, Artist
Spirit Catcher , 1977

Medium
Mixed media
Dimensions
45 x 18 x 18 in. (114.3 x 45.7 x 45.7 cm)
Credit Line
Collection of Kyle McBain Leeser, Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of Roberts Projects, Culver City, California

Spirit Catcher is a mixed-media assemblage— created from bamboo, bones, feathers, shells, and wicker—that was inspired in part by Simon Rodia's Watts Towers. The artist's conceptual inspiration for this work also comes from her first visit to Africa as well as Tibetan spirit traps, which were blessed by shamans and placed on roofs to ward off evil spirits.

Past Programs

UCLA Department of Art Lectures: Betye Saar, February 28, 2014