About Mack Leal
Mackenzie (Mack) Leal is a local artist of the Northwest Arkansas area. She grew up in Southern Arkansas obtaining her BFA in Theatre with an emphasis in Lighting and Design. Exploring elements of artistry on every spectrum, Leal started her career creating lighting and sound designs for the theater where she was able to experiment with dance, creative writing, poetry, and woodworking. During undergraduate studies Mack modeled for Brian Jeans a Texarkana Photographer where she learned about photography and aesthetics. Constantly working with different elements allowed Leal to mix and meld all sensory elements with her art. Now, Mack creates graphic designs for local artists, and produces neo-soul music, and instructs dance. She plans to continue her career by creating several exhibits that will display conflict and adversity, humans and the environment, and inspire freedom and social change through connection of artistic expression.
This section signifies the creation of personal tradition and material culture (which are defined by self rather than society) from examining the aesthetic, fashion, and musical traditions of melting pot America. Dirty Roots creates a deeper understanding of my own personal experience of unknown heritage or genealogy from generations of adoption and cultural mixing, and helps others to understand that cultural elements through adoption are not equal to cultural appropriation. As a country built on the acculturation of immigrants to American life, it’s time to accept that cultural exchange is not synonymous with transculturation. Dirty Roots is an opportunity to celebrate how we as Americans have numerous different roots but can still experience the unification of American Culture.
Chicken wire is a light galvanized wire netting of hexagonal mesh. The photographs in this collection are either free standing or trapped behind and encased with nothing but wiring. This reused chicken wire from Southern Arkansas, is not only a resourceful and economic form of framing but acts as a metaphor for the physical and intellectual growth of the artist's upbringing. At the roots of our upbringing, no matter if we decide to rebel or conform, those roots remain in us and mold us. The same casing that freely traps these photos is also what helps them stand on their own. The flower of life is a sacred symbol that represents the cycle of life and depicts how all of life comes from one singular source. Made strong and resilient, never worn down by the influence of prejudice or ignorance, yet still flexible in its ability to adapt to its surroundings. This reminds us that we as people are all created by one source. It is said that before man learnt to paint on walls of caves, they painted their own bodies. Tribes in America, Africa, China and many other countries including India have been practicing body painting since ancient times. In some African tribes, black is used to denote power, evil, death, and mystery, while blue denotes peace, calmness, confidence, and affection. Blue and black symbolizes duality in self, and while we like to think we are absolute, and whole creatures, to be whole we must have many, often seemingly contrasting pieces within us.
About the art
Mackenzie (Mack) Leal is a local artist of the Northwest Arkansas area. She grew up in Southern Arkansas obtaining her BFA in Theatre with an emphasis in Lighting and Design. Exploring elements of artistry on every spectrum, Leal started her career creating lighting and sound designs for the theater where she was able to experiment with dance, creative writing, poetry, and woodworking. During undergraduate studies Mack modeled for Brian Jeans a Texarkana Photographer where she learned about photography and aesthetics. Constantly working with different elements allowed Leal to mix and meld all sensory elements with her art. Now, Mack creates graphic designs for local artists, and produces neo-soul music, and instructs dance. She plans to continue her career by creating several exhibits that will display conflict and adversity, humans and the environment, and inspire freedom and social change through connection of artistic expression.
This section signifies the creation of personal tradition and material culture (which are defined by self rather than society) from examining the aesthetic, fashion, and musical traditions of melting pot America. Dirty Roots creates a deeper understanding of my own personal experience of unknown heritage or genealogy from generations of adoption and cultural mixing, and helps others to understand that cultural elements through adoption are not equal to cultural appropriation. As a country built on the acculturation of immigrants to American life, it’s time to accept that cultural exchange is not synonymous with transculturation. Dirty Roots is an opportunity to celebrate how we as Americans have numerous different roots but can still experience the unification of American Culture.
Chicken wire is a light galvanized wire netting of hexagonal mesh. The photographs in this collection are either free standing or trapped behind and encased with nothing but wiring. This reused chicken wire from Southern Arkansas, is not only a resourceful and economic form of framing but acts as a metaphor for the physical and intellectual growth of the artist's upbringing. At the roots of our upbringing, no matter if we decide to rebel or conform, those roots remain in us and mold us. The same casing that freely traps these photos is also what helps them stand on their own. The flower of life is a sacred symbol that represents the cycle of life and depicts how all of life comes from one singular source. Made strong and resilient, never worn down by the influence of prejudice or ignorance, yet still flexible in its ability to adapt to its surroundings. This reminds us that we as people are all created by one source. It is said that before man learnt to paint on walls of caves, they painted their own bodies. Tribes in America, Africa, China and many other countries including India have been practicing body painting since ancient times. In some African tribes, black is used to denote power, evil, death, and mystery, while blue denotes peace, calmness, confidence, and affection. Blue and black symbolizes duality in self, and while we like to think we are absolute, and whole creatures, to be whole we must have many, often seemingly contrasting pieces within us.