Nina Chanel Abney

She Was a Real Trouper – Acts of Service

2020

Cut-and-pasted printed paper on panel

Not on view

In this monumental collage, a group of Black pallbearers in military uniforms carry a casket draped with the United States flag. The figures are composed of a series of simplified geometric forms, making them interchangeable with one another. Abney is intentionally vague about specific meanings behind her work: “The ultimate purpose of art is to force the viewer to think differently, stop and take the time to confront their own preconceived notions,” she said. This work can be an image of honor and mourning for some; for others, it offers critical commentary on the kinds of service women soldiers are allowed to provide within military systems.

Gallery label from

2023

Medium Cut-and-pasted printed paper on panel
Dimensions 85 1/2 × 73 1/2" (217.2 × 186.7 cm)
Credit The Candace King Weir Endowment for Women Artists
Object number 78.2020
Department Drawings and Prints

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