humble and loud

every year, thousands of art students everywhere strive to put together their "senior show," or thesis. i imagine, from what i have seen, that the projects are all over the place... from stripped down, simplified series of paintings, through overthought, pretentious, experimental trickery, to a balanced combination of the tried and true and the progressive bold and new. this young man pulled off a coup. his project received coverage from CNN, and it enjoyed an extended stay in the atlanta gallery where it was exhibited. if i am not mistaken, the work took four months and a talented collection of friends to complete it. there are fifteen concrete cast figures of varying ages and sexes; a similar emotion covers each countenance. they are all chained together, and they are all "carrying" boat shaped wooden forms on their backs. each of the fifteen represents one million slaves that were transported to america from 1400-1800 (?). on the backside of the boat form, a graphic wood-cut design (of egyptian influence,) illustrates exactly how the slaves were "packed" onto the boats. he was extremely laid back and willing to let me do my thing; he was quiet and humble. his work is loud.