Maya Angelou’s 1993 book of essays
and autobiographical sketches is considered to be one of her wisdom books, and
was published shortly after she recited at Bill Clinton’s presidential
inauguration. The book has short vignettes and essays about many things,
including embracing diversity and the importance of a life well-lived. It is
where she argues that “human beings are more alike than unalike,” a statement
that makes our obsession with perfection and objectification seem silly, if not
dangerous to our own subjectivity.
It is an appropriate piece with
which to finish this exhibition because it demonstrates the power one can have
once one has embraced her or his identity as a unique individual and
subject. Objects such as this very small
book can resonate widely. They should serve as a reminder of their creator, who
is someone with unique thoughts, insights and experiences.
By the time all of us have reached
Angelou’s age, we can hope to have embraced ourselves as unique individuals
with many, many things in common. We can all accept that the perfect ideal does
not exist, is simply someone else’s fantasy imposed upon us, and we can finally
begin to use our lives to rectify structural injustices such as those found in
the casual sexism that surrounds us daily.
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