visual art

Commissioned by Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

Beau McCall, darkmuskoilegyptiancrystals&floridawater/

redpotionno.1, 2014. Assorted clothing buttons (mother-of-pearl, rhinestone, cloth, et al.), embroidery thread, cotton fabric, cast iron tub, 53 x 17 x 23 in.

Here, McCall is inspired by the poem one from Ntozake Shange’s choreopoem, for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf. He depicts the climax of the poem when lady in red, after giving herself to a lover–and cycling through emotions of possible regret or ambivalence–prepares a bath to wash away his scent and the glittering elements she uses to adorn her body. Thereby, McCall’s imagining of this bathtub becomes a spiritual and ritualistic sanctuary and site of one’s search for inner peace and self-love.

Commissioned by The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery, Columbia University

Beau McCall, The Conversation, 2017-2023. Assorted clothing buttons (cloth, metal, bone, et al.), embroidery thread, burlap, plastic bags, 34 x 36 x 36 in. (table) total dimensions variable. 

Who gets to have a seat at the table in America? It’s a question the Harlem Renaissance literary force, Langston Hughes addressed in his 1926 poem, “I, Too.” Published during Jim Crow, the poem was written to empower Black people living under racial segregation laws.

Here, the “table,” which the poem’s protagonist longs to join, is reimagined by McCall to reflect the nation’s history of racism, slavery, and systemic oppression. The base of the table consists of plaid plastic bags repurposed to reference the American flag’s red, white, and blue color scheme. A corner of burlap with button stars represents the 50 states. An assortment of floral buttons and stacked buttons symbolize the growth the nation saw as a result of enslaved labor and destructive capitalism. 

Enacting the wish of Hughes’s protagonist to have a seat at the table, McCall and StoryCorps invited guests to conduct oral history recordings about living in America. Thereby, McCall honors the message within the poem by amplifying the voices of the underrepresented.

Beau McCall, World Spinnin’ on a 45 (B-Side), 2023. Assorted clothing buttons (metal, cloth, rhinestone, plastic, et al.), embroidery thread, polywood, cotton fabric, 33.5 in. (diameter)

This is the companion piece to McCall’s earlier work, World Spinnin’ on a 45. Both works are inspired by the 1972 song by The Staple Singers, We The People. This socially conscious song calling for unity arrived in a year that included the Vietnam War, Watergate, the Black Power Movement, and the early days of disco. To celebrate the power of music to unite people and spread joy, McCall used decorative buttons featuring smiley faces, musical instruments, and the peace emblem. Thus, here is the world spinning in harmony on a 45-rpm record insert.

This is McCall’s first visual artwork to include his “webbing” technique. The embroidery thread is woven not only through the buttons, but also on top of them, to create a weblike pattern, or in this case, simulate the scratches on a worn-out vinyl record.  

Photo Credit: Will Howcroft

Beau McCall, Button Pillow: Lady Day, circa 1995. Assorted clothing buttons (mother-of-pearl, metal, rhinestone, et al.), embroidery thread, upcycled pillow, 13 x 12 x 2 in.

Photo Credit: Greg Frederick

Permanent Collection of Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art and Stonewall National Museum, Archives, & Library.

Beau McCall, Strange Beauties XIII: Antoine aka DeeDee Somemore, Tracy Monroe, and Beau McCall, 2020. Collage printed with dye sublimation on aluminum, 24 x 36 in. 

From the book and series: 

REWIND: MEMORIES ON REPEAT.

This collage captures McCall with two of his deceased friends: Tracy Monroe and Antoine aka DeeDee Somemore. Along with McCall they formed a punk rock band named Strange Beauties. The short-lived band (circa 1983-1986) created an important outlet for their creative expression and exploration of sexuality and gender-nonconforming identities.  

In this collage, McCall reimagines one of the band's promotional photos. The eclectic choice of buttons, yellow highlighter, and striking lines across the band’s countenances creates a punk rock aesthetic that is both edgy and glamorous. Each collage is created by hand using McCall’s personal archival photos and papers, along with images from his button embellished artwork. Once completed the works are then scanned and printed on metal for luminosity. 

Additional collages in this series include eight of his other close friends. Collectively, the images capture the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, from Philadelphia to New York, during the LGBTQ+ rights movement, the height of disco music and the AIDS crisis. Through this intimate series McCall represents the experiences, hopes, challenges, and heart of the LGBTQ+ community. 

Commissioned by Newark Arts

Beau McCall, Dionne: Queen of Twitter, 2021. Collage printed with dye sublimation on aluminum, 20 x 16 in. 

From the series Dionne Warwick: Queen of Twitter.

Click here for the tweet used as inspiration.

Beau McCall references the witty and sassy tweets of Ms. Warwick, which brought joy to her followers, made her a viral sensation, and helped her connect with an intergenerational social media audience. The collages combine close-up photos from McCall’s button embellished and hand-sewn visual and wearable art with a range of photos and clippings. 

The use of buttons--often a family keepsake--add a touch of whimsy to the visual narrative through their elaborate arrangements.