The Visible Man: Race and Identity in America

By David Hunt

Artist McArthur Freeman leans back in his chair and takes a moment to consider one of his own works, a painting titled, “Strange Fruit.” It’s a narrative piece – a picture that tells a story – but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to read. A lot depends on the interaction between the art and the audience.

“It’s a dialogue,” Freeman says.

The painting depicts a Pinocchio character reaching up to touch a human head hanging from a tree, like an apple. The head, which is alive, looks down wide-eyed at Pinocchio, who seems tentative but curious. Both characters are black.

On the surface, the picture seems innocuous, a new interpretation of an age-old fairy tale. But there’s more to it, Freeman says.