When artist-curator Marteja Bailey brought her Rooted Chronicles group exhibition to Zeitgeist in February, it included strong works from local standouts like Omari Booker, Michael Mucker and XPayne. But “Ms. Hattie Margaret Parham” by Woke3 stole the show. The portrait of an elderly woman painted on an assemblage of vintage seed and feed bags is one of the most striking works of art I saw all year. Woke3’s painting was displayed near smaller works by local painting legend Samuel Dunson, and his influence on Woke3 is clear. Painting isn’t competitive, but the pairing was a stalemate. The portrait signals the apprentice becoming a master in his own right.
