First and Last

Abney created this mixed media work for the centennial celebration of artist Romare Bearden at the Studio Museum in Harlem. Bearden was well known for his use of collage and combining scenes of daily African American life with religious themes. As an homage to Bearden, Abney works in collage for the first time and combines both secular and religious imagery in this diptych—a format comprised of two panels traditionally used for religious altarpieces. Though Abney incorporates religious themes in her work, it is often from a more critical perspective. In this image, the scene on the left panel is one of judgment and expulsion, while the scene on the right is one of salvation. The artist’s conception of salvation is not presented as the judgment of a righteous god, but one of tolerance and inclusivity, underscored by the inclusion of symbols from the LGBTQ community, such as the rainbow and pink triangle.